Memory of the Church

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I am the good shepherd,
my sheep listen to my voice,
and they become
one flock and one fold.
.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Mark 1,40-45

A man suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to him and pleaded on his knees saying, 'If you are willing, you can cleanse me.' Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said to him, 'I am willing. Be cleansed.' And at once the skin-disease left him and he was cleansed. And at once Jesus sternly sent him away and said to him, 'Mind you tell no one anything, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing prescribed by Moses as evidence to them.' The man went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places. Even so, people from all around kept coming to him.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

I give you a new commandment,
that you love one another.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Jesus continued to preach the coming of the Kingdom of God and to heal many from various diseases. On one of those days a leper approaches him. Lepers were doomed to be at the margins, they has to keep at a distance and wish for was some alms. But, when he heard about Jesus, this leper dared to hope more and overcoming all prohibitions, including that of entering an inhabited area, he went in front of Jesus. that barred him from entering an inhabited place, he came to Jesus. He thought that the young prophet could help him. Differently from habits that kept lepers at a distance for fear of contagion, Jesus welcomed him. In that leper, we see all the sick that still today have no hope of healing and who are turned away from men and women for fear of contagion. Sometimes it is not only about individuals but also about entire peoples who are excluded from development, to which everyone is entitled. Once in the presence of Jesus, the leper knelt down and begged for healing: "If you choose, you can make me clean." Jesus "was moved with pity," listened to that cry and reached out his hand and touched the leper who by law was considered untouchable. We, who have long respected the severe rules of social distancing in order to avoid contagion during the pandemic, this Gospel suggests that "stretching one's hand" points to a commitment to recuperate in any possible way - not being reckless - the sense of bonds, closeness and warmth that can and must be transmitted so that isolation do not become solitude. With his gesture and consequent healing, Jesus restored the dignity of the leper's wounded body and the right to live among others without being shunned any more. Jesus' love for him was truly great. Perhaps out of concern that the man would be persecuted by the authorities, Jesus warned him to say nothing and to present himself to the priests to make an offering as was prescribed. The man, however, full of joy, could not keep himself from sharing the news and told whoever he met the overflowing joy he felt. This miracle that Mark recounted asks all of us, the Christian communities of today, to be attentive to the cry of the poor, as Jesus was, and to "perform" alongside Jesus miracles that give back dignity to and increase the joy of the sick and poor.