ILIZWI REFLECTIONS
Sunday 11 February 2024
6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46
Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11
1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1
Mark 1:40-45
BE CLEANSED
“Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him “I want to, be made clean!” – Mk 1:42
Leprosy was the most painful and dreaded disease. It began just like a spot on the skin. It spread and started eating away the skin, then the flesh and the bones. The person was disfigured and lost his body while walking – the fingers, lips, and toes dropping away. Imagine the smell of rotting flesh!
Such a person was considered to be the greatest example of uncleanness and so was not allowed to come into contact with other human beings or their property or even to worship (Lev 13:45-46).
The 1st reading makes it clear that a leper was ostracised, and taken away from the community to live alone in the bush. As if this is not enough, he/she was required to wear torn garments, an unshaven head, a covered beard, and walking crying out “unclean”. These are all signs of death, penance, and mourning (Lev 10:6; Ez 24:17).
Who is a leper today? Gen 3:24 says after the Original Sin we were all driven out of the Garden of Eden. We are the lepers; you are the leper. Just like the peeling off of the skin, flesh, and bones of a leper, your soul is slowly rotting away due to sin. It all started with like a spot, with the first time, and you were filled with guilt and shame. But today no remorse is left!
As you have experienced, the smell of a rotting soul is worse than that of rotting flesh!
The leper in the gospel does an extraordinary thing, he breaks the rules of isolation and approaches Jesus. Instead of crying “unclean” (Lev 3:45) he cries “If you want to, you can make me clean” (v.40).
Jesus also equally does something extraordinary; first, he is moved with compassion. As the author of Hebrews says, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness” (Heb 4:15). Jesus is moved with pity at the state of your rotting soul.
Second, Jesus breaks the rules by stretching out his hand and touching the leper (v.41). Remember in the story of Naaman the leper, Elijah cleanses him without touching him (2Kg 5:10-11). Touching the leper was surely the first part of healing. Imagine the number of years this man longed for human touch!
My dear friend, you have been a leper for far too long. Isolated and trapped in your leprosy of sin, unfaithfulness, addictions, disease, evil spirits, etc. The good news this Sunday is that Jesus is saying, “I want to heal you” and is stretching out his hand and touching you as you are.
Your strong desire to be liberated is today being met by Jesus’ strong desire to restore you. If you commit yourself to change, do something out of the ordinary and God will do the same for you today and now. Jesus is today passing by you, feeling compassion for you, and wants to do for you what he did for the leper.
The period of lent starting this Wednesday is an opportunity for you to be made clean. This is a period of taking a bath, or a shower. Do not let this graced season pass you by. It is your time for liberation, a time to regain your freedom, your Kairos moment. Don’t miss Ash Wednesday even though it falls on Feb 14th!
In conclusion, In your life, there are many people you have cast out. Those family members and friends who let you down or betrayed you. Like Jesus, go out your way today to embrace your self-created lepers, they need your touch!
“Be cleansed”
In love with the Divine Word,
Fr. Ncube, SVD
Ilizwi Biblical Centre
Divine Word Missionaries
Plumtree, Zimbabwe 🇿🇼
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 