Fortunately, Hansen’s Disease – the medical name for leprosy – is almost a thing of the past. There are currently only about half a million known cases of the disease worldwide. But, we are still struggling to control other infectious diseases, such as the common cold, the flu, HIV and now, COVID-19; it’s caught all of us in its grip, hasn’t it!?! And so, we can identify with today’s readings. Just as the people in ancient Israel didn’t understand leprosy, what caused it and how it was spread, so we still don’t fully understand the coronavirus, what caused it or how it is spread. And, just as the people of long ago, one of our responses is to isolate those afflicted by the disease, quarantining them so as to protect the rest of the world from further inflection. Many people in the ancient world demonized these diseases or believed that they were signs of God’s wrath. Some people today have done the same, wondering if this isn’t the work of the devil or a punishment from an angry God. Fortunately, we realize that these diseases are the result of just another aspect of our very complex natural world – bacteria and viruses – not the wrath of God.
In the ancient world, before the invention of microscopes and the many other medical advances of today, those who were afflicted with these diseases were often forced to leave home permanently and live outside of the towns and villages in special camps set aside for them, simply left to die. As we heard in today’s first reading, they were called to dwell apart and cry out “unclean, unclean” if anyone approached them. They were like the living dead, separated from family and shunned by everyone. Those of you who have loved ones who were hospitalized during this pandemic or are living in nursing homes know how painful this is for everyone involved.
It is with this background provided by today’s first reading that we hear of an extraordinary encounter between Jesus and a leper. As we heard last week, Jesus felt called to go from village to village to preach the gospel. This week’s gospel picks up right where we left off in Mark’s Gospel last week, which ends with the report that Jesus went from town to town, “preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.” He was probably between one town and another, passing by one of these leper camps when this encounter occurred. I want you to pay careful attention to some of the important details of this event.
First of all, notice that, rather than keeping his distance and crying out “unclean, unclean” as Jesus and his disciples approached, the leper came up to Jesus and knelt down before him. Apparently, the good news of Jesus healing and driving out demons had even reached the leper camp and the man recognized Jesus as someone very special; that’s why he knelt before him as he would before a king or a god. He also realized that Jesus had the power to cure him. Notice, he says, “If you wish.” Acknowledging Jesus’ ability, he just wasn’t sure if he was part of his plan.
And next, let’s notice Jesus’ response. Like any good Jew, he should have recoiled and run the other way, so as not to become unclean himself. Instead, however, we hear that he was “moved with pity.” In the original Greek, the phrase is much stronger. It says that Jesus was moved from the depth of his being, literally his innards were turned inside out. That’s how strong his compassion was for this man. And, instead of turning around and running in the other direction, Jesus reached out and touched him. Everyone who saw this must have been horrified because this act would make Jesus unclean, too. Rather than making Jesus unclean, however, it made the leper clean. As he does throughout his public ministry, Jesus wanted to heal this man and, as we hear, “the leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.”
And, what Jesus directs the man to do is also very telling. By instructing him to show himself to the priest, Jesus welcomed him back into society – the priest would declare him clean and allow him to return home.
Don’t miss the first thing that Jesus tells the man, however: “See that you tell no one anything.” You might wonder why Jesus would say this. It would seem to make more sense that Jesus would encourage the man to tell everyone; after all, this would help Jesus in his task of preaching the good news, wouldn’t it? But, as we see throughout Mark’s Gospel, Jesus often admonishes people not to tell anyone after he performs a miracle. He does this because he wants his whole message to be proclaimed, and that includes his death and resurrection. It’s so easy to get caught up in our Lord’s power to heal, expel demons and feed the masses. But, his whole message includes his suffering and death on the cross for our salvation – and his resurrection, the clear sign that good has triumphed over evil. The fullness of the truth is that, like Jesus, we must die to ourselves if we are to rise with him. “If you do not take up your cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple,” we hear Jesus declare.
This is a very important message for us as we prepare to begin, once again, the sacred season of Lent. During this season, we are called to admit our sins, the ways in which we are unclean before God. We are then called to die to our sins. We are assured in today’s Gospel that God will reach out and heal us. And, as we hear St. Paul admonish us in today’s second reading, we are called to be imitators of Christ.
Today, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day, we honor in a special way those among us who are celebrating silver and golden jubilees of their wedding and, in fact, all married couples. I’m sure you have all learned both how to die to yourselves so you can love each other better and how to forgive and heal each other. That’s why the Church speaks of marriage as the clearest sign on earth of God’s loving presence and we thank you for being that clear sign here in our midst and we pray that God will continue to bless you in your sacred vocation.
Yes, as we get ready for Lent, let us reflect on our sinfulness – any way in which we are unclean before God. And then, with the same assurance as the leper had in today’s Gospel, let us come before our Lord and ask him to make us clean. Then, we will be fully ready to accompany him to the cross – and resurrection, which we will celebrate with such great joy on Easter!