Homily (Reflection) for
the Sixth Sunday of the Year (B) (11th February, 2018) on the Gospel
Lev 13:1-2.44-46;
Ps 31:1-2.5.11 (R. v. 7);
1Cor 10:31 – 11:1;
Mk. 1:40-45.
One man after sojourning outside his
country before coming back home informed his parents and siblings of his
intention. They were very happy because they had not seen him for some time but
were startled at his wish that they should not let anyone know about his
intention to come home. After battling with it for some time, some of them went
about divulging the entire information at their disposal to whomever that
cares.
Later, the man
returned on the very date he had told them. It was a moment of great joy for
the entire family and some others who came to welcome him based on the
information some members of the family disseminated. However, the joy was cut
very short because that same night, armed robbers came and carted away
everything he came home with.
Topic: The Problem.
Considering the plight of lepers
today, one can easily imagine what it was like in Jesus’ days. Judging from the
scriptures, it was one of the most dreaded diseases in Israel, cf. Lev 13:45-46. And the cure of leprosy
was beyond human capacity. Hence the king of Israel tore his clothes when
Naaman was sent to him by the king of Aram to be cured of leprosy, cf. 2Kg 5:1-7. But God who created
everything out of nothing by his words cures leprosy and do much more if he
chooses by his words, cf. Gen 1:1-31;
Heb 11:3; Ps 148:5; Mk 1:41.
As leprosy was one of the most
dreaded diseases, one would expect that whoever could cure that would have a
very high price. The gospel tells us what Jesus demanded from the leper he
cured:
After sternly warning him he sent
him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go,
show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded,
as a testimony to them’ (Mk 1:43-44).
Although, nobody would imagine
that the leper would go against the instruction clearly given to him by Jesus
but the gospel goes on to tell us what the man actually did and its
consequences:
But he went out and began to
proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go
into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from
every quarter (Mk 1:45).
Certainly, the leper just like
the family of the man we saw in our introductory story had his reasons but
could that be better than obeying God? We also saw the outcome of refusing to
obey in our opening story.
What about us? Are we different? Jesus
tells us: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what
his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard
from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn
15:15). And the preceding verse reads: “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:14). The Psalmist has this: “Blessed
are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart” (Ps 119:2). Jesus is also telling us, “Blessed
... are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” (Lk 11:28; cf. Rev 1:3). Again in the letter of Saint James we also
read, “But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves.
For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look
at themselves in a mirror” (Jas 1:22-23).
God “is mindful of his covenant
forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations” (1Chr 16:15). The Psalmist wrote, “But
the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who
fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his
covenant and remember to do his commandments” (Ps 103:17-18; cf. Ps 25:10). God ever does his part. The problem is
in listening to him and doing what he asks of us. In the book of Genesis, after
creating man and woman, God told them “...You may freely eat of every tree of
the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not
eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Gen 2:16-17). When they kept to this instruction everything was
moving fine until they decided to go their own way by listening to Satan, cf. Gen 3: 1-19.
Saint Paul rightly questioned, “For
who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?” (Rom 11:34; cf. 1Cor 2:16) It is always
better to hearken to the words of the Lord, cf. 1Sam 15:22.
Bible
Reading: Gen 3:1-19; 1Sam 15:1-23; Jas 1:19-27; Rom
15:1-6; 1Cor 2:6-16.
Silent Moment: Do you follow God or something else?
Let
us Pray: Lord, may we always follow you and do all you asks
of us – Amen.
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