My reflections for Feb. 12, 2006 - Sunday

February 12, 2006

Reading I
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
“If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.

“The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

(The rules concerning people with sickness may seem somewhat harsh and even at times arbitrary. However, in times when medical care was much more limited compared with what we have today, these rules were designed to protect public health. It is not that long ago that lepers from the USA were sent to the island of Molokai near Hawaii! Even today ships with an outbreak of disease on board are barred from allowing passengers to disembark when in port in order to restrict the outbreak.)

Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,
whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,
in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you,
my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,”
and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;
exult, all you upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Reading II
1 Corinthians 10:31—11:1

Brothers and sisters,
Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or
the church of God,
just as I try to please everyone in every way,
not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,
that they may be saved.
Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

(Paul has a one-track mind. He tries to direct all that he does to the furtherin gof the Kingdom of God. If only we were more like him, perhaps the Gospel would have taken deper root in our society. Paul is ever aware that everyhting he does may impinge upon someone
s view of the Gospel. Thus he is at pains to remind us of this as well so that we will be more conscious of the fact that our lives are often the first point of contact people have with the Gospel)

Gospel
Mark 1:40-45

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 do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning the 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 publicize 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.

(Jesus demonstrates His power of the sickness of leprosy. There seems to be nothing beyond His power! The healing of a person ostracized from the community because of a physical illness is a figure or symbol for the forgiveness that He brings to our sins. Our sin ostracizes us from God - it drives us away from Him as He is all-perfect and cannot abide sin. Jesus' forgiveness removes the causeof separation and make it possible for us to re-enter our communion with the Father.)


God's special verse/thought for me today.

my reflections
think: Paul is ever aware that everything he does may impinge upon someone's view of the Gospe. Are we as aware?

thank You Lord for: