Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Leviticus 13:1-46; Psalms 32:1-11; Mark 1:40-45

We are unclean, every last one of us. Not because of anything we have done, but simply by virtue of who we are: creatures who ooze insecurity, anger, and paranoia. We have endured this affliction ever since that first moment when consciousness emerged in the tiny brains of distant ancestors on some African plain. We awoke to something overwhelming, and it produced a stain that we seem unable to wash away, no matter our centuries worth of ritual, prayer, and art. And yet, it is all an illusion, a trick in our overheated minds that constantly mistakes "reality" for what is real. We are blind, not unclean, and our Parent is eager to restore our sight. But they also know that we need to make the first move, we must crave healing, and therein lies the challenge. How many of us wallow in our supposed filth, because it feels easier to subsist in the dirt, rather than live in the light? How often do we gaze upon our world, soak in its pain and misery, and think to ourselves that joy and love are nothing more than fairy tales? Who among us is bold and brave enough to kneel before God and beg to see all that truly is? Will you turn to Them in your time of darkness, and be filled with the light of grace?

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Leviticus 13:1-46; Mark 1:40-45

What is our lesson for today? Many will focus once again on the power of Jesus to heal, just like the people of his time. But did he heal all the lepers? Did he only have pity for this one? Perhaps he was sending us a broader message on cleanliness of the body and the soul. What draconian rules are on our books, or in our minds, that render our brothers and sisters unclean? Do we have the power to restore them? If so, do we fully use that power? Francis of Assisi and Damien of Molokai did not heal the bodies of the lepers they served, but they certainly healed their souls through the power of love. Who are the lepers in your life that cry out for healing? Will you love them?

Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Mark 1: 40-45

Again with the miracles. If they were not done, would it have been "impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly"? If he had simply preached Truth would the response still have been that "people kept coming to him from everywhere"? We all know the sad answer. What will it take for us to choose substance over style? When will we crave the Real, rather than the bright and shiny?