Shikrot Mpwi - Sunday Synopsis with Fr. Justine J. Dyikuk

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B – February 11, 2018.

Readings: Leviticus 13:1-2,44-46; Ps 31:1-2,6,11; 1 Cor. 10:31-11:1; Gospel – Mark 1:40-45.

Theme: A Compassionate Saviour!

Introduction

Beloved in the Lord, today is the last Sunday before Lent - Ash Wednesday is only three days away. Our liturgy affords us the opportunity to prepare for Lent. That said, out readings reveal Jesus as the compassionate saviour. We shall reflect on this theme by situating it in the pastoral context bearing in mind that just as Jesus reveals God’s compassion, the Church has an enormous responsibility in caring for those who have been separated from society due to ill-health and social status.  

Explication of the Readings

The first reading (Leviticus 13:1-2,44-46) discloses the characteristic compassionate nature of God who commanded Moses to instruct Aaron concerning the plight of those who were leprous. It was the responsibility of the priest to declare such a person unclean. Such an unclean person must appear in sack cloth and cry “unclean” as he passes and must live apart from the rest of the sons and daughters of Israel so as not to inflict others with the disease. The instruction seems harsh yet it was meant for the good of all since there was no known cure for leprosy at the time.

The same consideration for others is highlighted in the second reading (1 Cor. 10:31-11:1) wherein St. Paul urges believers not to do anything that is offensive to others. He exhorts Christians to emulate him who did not seek his own advantage but was helpful to everyone. He surmised that compassion is tied to the salvation of all. Since the salvation of the world remains an imperative as St. Paul has pointed out, he charges us to emulate him as he models after Christ.

Today’s gospel (Mark 1:40-45) is also tied to the theme of “A Compassionate Saviour” because it discloses how Jesus showed compassion to a leper who cried out to him for help. We are told that “feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.” The instant nature of the healing reveals Jesus’ divinity. We also noticed that he warned the man not to say anything to anyone but go and show himself to the priest as an evidence of recovery. The man would disobey Jesus by going ahead to broadcast what had happened to him. His cure was phenomenal and unparalleled – as such, as far as he was concerned, others must know who changed his life. The man’s testimony was so huge that Jesus was literally hiding from the public. Even at that, the people kept tract of him and followed Him wherever He went to. 

Pastoral Application/Take Home Lessons

1. Today’s liturgy reminds us to dispose ourselves for the coming of Lent since this is the last Sunday before Ash Wednesday.

2.  By revealing God’s compassion, our liturgy challenges the Church to live up to her enormous responsibility of caring for those who have been separated from society due to terminal diseases like HIV Aids and Cancer as well as social status for example, abject poverty and being rendered homeless as in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or refugees. 

3. The instruction in the first reading to separate those who were leprous from others urges us to give special care to those who have communicable diseases like Ebola and Monkey Pox as failure to that amounts to lack of sensitivity and further spread of these diseases.

4. Aaron and the priests who were responsible for executing the commands of God represent health workers and Pastors of Souls who are charged to take the ministry of the sick seriously by seeing it for what it is namely, a vocation not merely a pecuniary venture.

5.  St. Paul calls us to emulate him who did not seek his own advantage but was helpful to everyone, to do same by ensuring the wellbeing and salvation of everyone.

6. Since the instant nature of the healing of the leprous man in the gospel reveals Jesus’ divinity, all those who are physically and spiritually sick are challenged to look up to Jesus who is capable of granting them instant healing.

7. While it is out of place to showcase miracles on traditional and social media platforms through propaganda, the testimony of the man in the gospel reminds us about the obligation to broadcast the good news.

8. Besides revealing Jesus as the compassionate saviour, our liturgy discloses the place of total faith in God who, as scripture says, is able to do much more than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).

9. We are challenged to bring before God our leprosy of unbelief, relativism and secularism so as to experience that joy the leper in the gospel relished when Jesus intervened in his life.

10. This Sunday affords us the opportunity to pray for all United Nations agencies like the World Health Organisation and other Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) for their interventions in providing free drugs and treatment for those suffering from leprosy.   

Homiletic Quotes to Remember

1. Our liturgy affords us the opportunity to prepare for Lent.

2. Today’s liturgy discloses the characteristic compassionate nature of God.

3.  St. Paul exhorts Christians to emulate him who did not seek his own advantage but was helpful to everyone.

4. We are once more reminded that all of us are patients in the leprosarium of sin.

5. “The Church is a hospital for sinners not a museum for saints” - Abigail Van Buren.

Conclusion

By way of conclusion, we are once more reminded that all of us are patients in the leprosarium of sin. The saying credited to Abigail Van Buren that, “the Church is a hospital for sinners not a museum for saints” comes very strongly. We urgently need Christ’s divine intervention in our lives. Strengthened by him, the Church goes out on mission to care for the sick especially those suffering from leprosy by partnering with various government bodies or NGOs to establish leprosarium for them.

With over 216,108 new leprosy cases registered globally in 2016 according to official figures by WHO, the world is left with an endemic which is a human catastrophe that needs our urgent attention. We are charged to cater for these and other sick persons globally by showing them the face of the compassionate saviour. May God help us in this all important mission. Amen. Have a fabulous week!