Reflection

Gospel

Jesus cures a leper

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I will do it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 

He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

The man went away and began to publicise the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.     Mark 1:40-45

Reflection

In today’s Gospel from Mark, we hear the story of Jesus taking pity on a man with leprosy and healing him from the disease. Jesus tells the man to follow the law of the day and go to the priest to be declared clean. Jesus also asks the man to tell no one else about his being healed. Filled with faith and overcome by gratitude, the man cannot help but share the news of the miracle he has experienced.

Seeing Jesus as a healer to all who have faith has always come easily to me, but I struggle to understand why Jesus would compel the man to not tell anyone about his being healed by Jesus. 

Jesus is living in that tension of wanting to be available to all who express their faith while also feeling the human limits of exhaustion. It is no wonder he asked the man he healed of leprosy to stay quiet.

As I anticipate the beginning of my Lenten journey this week, I pray with these questions: How can I support those who are excluded based on rules and laws? When have I been too afraid to ask for and accept God’s mercy? How can I help disrupt systems of oppression in the way of Jesus? And I pray for the grace to know how best to give glory to God.

I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Julie Leonard Religious Education Leader/Wellbeing Leader