6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME,  HOMILY YR B

6TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME,  HOMILY YR B

BY: Fr. Jude Nnadi

Readings: Lev 13: 1-2, 44-46; 1 Cor 10: 31-11:1; Mk 1: 40-45

“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.” (Lev 13,46)

ALSO RECOMMENDED: 6TH SUNDAY HOMILY IN ORDINARY TIME – YEAR B

Sisters and brothers, in the time of Jesus, lepers were the sick no one could ever approach. Strong isolation was not only prescribed, but even the leper himself, was forced to repel any human approach by crying: “Unclean! Impure!” (13:45), thus reminding himself and others of his own miserable condition, a terrible form of exclusion that is also present in our time. This leprosy is not just a physical disease, but a symbol of every solitude in which we can suddenly find ourselves.
The Leper of our gospel reading today approaches Jesus and, transgressing the Law, gets down on his knees, invoking a gesture of total self-giving: “If you wish, you can make me clean!” (Mk 1:40). This man believes that his condition deserves redemption and does not give up the opportunity to express his desire for salvation to the one who seems to be a messenger of God.
In response, Jesus touches this Leper in his impurity, in his filth, hence revealing the profound meaning of his mission: to reach out to the poverty of every man bringing him back from darkness of resignation and death. It is important to note that this man was touched while he was still impure, testifying that God cares more about us than our imperfections. God reaches us by his love before any of our works and merit.
However, authentic healing is a long and delicate process. We must never be in a hurry to tell others or believe we are already healed. This is what happens to the sick man, who did not obey Jesus’ order to keep his healing experience to himself: “He 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 but remained outside in deserted places.” (Mk 1,45).
He failed to understand that the most important thing is not so much the healing from his leprosy, but rather the encounter he had with Jesus. Telling others what God is doing in our lives is always a temptation to remain on the surface, rather than trying to fully assimilate the demands of his word, which always asks our willingness to trust and hope in him in every situation.
At the end of our gospel story, Jesus is forced to take the place of that leper in the desert, for true compassion is not only expressed in helping others, but in taking charge of their situation to the point of sharing in their suffering, loneliness, and shame. Life in this world is given to us to learn to joyfully embrace this way of welcoming friendships to the full, not just as long as it suits us. Sometimes we want to experience only the benefits of love, without ever paying the costs. We are called to be children of God not only by confessing the name of Jesus, but also with a full and free assumption of his life, to the point of welcoming the vertigo of an immense; yet possible identification: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Cor 11:1).

FOR SIMILAR HOMIY, CLICK HERE >>