6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)
Liturgy of the Hours, Week 2, Psalter
Texts taken from the “Sulla Tua Parola” Missal – January-February 2021.
This is the last Sunday of this first part of Ordinary Time. On Wednesday evening, with the celebration of the imposition of the ashes, the season of Lent will already begin. Today’s Gospel tells us about the healing of a leper. It makes us aware of an even greater healing that can take place within us: liberation from sin and death, which is renewed whenever we go to confession, acknowledging our wrongdoing and hearing the priest say: «I absolve you from your sins», which, on a spiritual level, is equivalent to: «I will it; be cleansed!». Sometimes, to go to confession and obtain this marvelous healing of the soul, we must overcome our inner resistance, shame, discouragement, and even human respect in the face of a society that trivializes sin. The leper receives healing because he has the courage to break away from the common way of thinking, asking the Lord for healing. Do we have this courage?
FIRST READING
From the Book of Leviticus (Lv 13:1-2, 45-46)
The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and said: «If someone has on the skin of his body a swelling or a pustule or a white spot that appears to be a sore of leprosy, that person shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of the priests, his sons. The leper afflicted with sores shall wear torn garments and leave his head uncovered; veiled up to the upper lip, he shall cry out: “Unclean! Unclean!”. He shall be unclean as long as the disease lasts; being unclean, he shall dwell apart, living outside the camp».
Commentary on the First Reading
The Lord God speaks to Moses and Aaron about leprosy, a disease that was very common and widespread among the Jewish people as well. In the context of the Old Testament, the afflicted person was brought to the priests because they were witnesses to his moral impurity. Indeed, according to the mentality of the time, a physical, external illness was considered, without a doubt, a sign of inner sin. Medicine did not exist as we understand it today, but the only solution was to isolate the sick, especially those showing contagious sores. In today’s Gospel, we see how everything is turned upside down and how the possibility of authentic healing finally emerges. The leper, who is the object of Jesus’ compassion, is approached and even – inconceivable in the Old Testament – touched, and then hears the Lord’s effective word. Looking deeper, we discover that not only is the man considered contagious healed, but the entire community as well, called to welcome the brother again and care for him. Let us allow this reading to question us and ask ourselves whether, in the sick person, we see only a useless burden or a person to welcome, toward whom we should have the same compassion as Jesus.
SECOND READING
From the First Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians (1 Cor 10:31 – 11:1)
Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink or do anything else, do everything for the glory of God. Do not be a cause of scandal either to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God, just as I strive to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, so that they may be saved. Become imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Commentary on the Second Reading
«Do everything for the glory of God»; this is Saint Paul’s exhortation to us. Every life, every existence, therefore has one clearly defined purpose: the glory of God. «For the greater glory of God» is the motto of the Society of Jesus, the congregation founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola; the Jesuits, in fact, prefix their works with the initials A.M.D.G. (from the Latin “for the greater glory of God”). This insight has a very profound meaning: apostolic activity takes on the value of faith when it is directed toward God. In the Old Testament, “glory” is expressed through a word whose meaning is very close to that of “heaviness”; specifically, it can signify social standing, wealth, strength and power, beauty, splendor, and magnificence. In reality, throughout the Bible, the authentic meaning of glory points to the very nature of God. The expression on which we are meditating therefore helps us return to admiration for all the works accomplished by the Father in our lives and to worship of the One who is the source of all goodness. Seeking and bearing witness to the glory of God is therefore a fruitful attitude that can guide our entire lives.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 1:40-45)
At that time, a leper came to Jesus and, kneeling, begged him and said: «If you wish, you can make me clean!». Moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him: «I will it; be cleansed!». And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. Then, warning him sternly, he sent him away at once and said to him: «See that you tell no one anything; go instead, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed, as evidence for them». But the man went away and began to proclaim and spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer enter a town openly, but remained outside in deserted places; and people came to him from everywhere.
Commentary on the Gospel of the Day
«If you wish, you can make me clean!», the leper says to Jesus. These words can be considered a beautiful and effective prayer of supplication and invocation by a man who is sick not only in body, but above all in heart and soul. Through continual prayer, the man reaches the heart of God. We see, as on the steps of a staircase, God’s love rising from his paternal and maternal depths: Jesus stretches out his hand and draws near to the sick man, even touches him, and expresses the effectiveness of his power through the word: «I will it; be cleansed». Sometimes we wonder what God’s will is for us, but remain tangled in the labyrinth of our confused thoughts. If only we were more humble, aware of our sin and our limitations, we would find it much easier to entrust ourselves to his will. Indeed, in the words addressed to the leper, Jesus expresses his will to purify and save every repentant person. The man who had been a leper, as if leaping forward, by the power of the Word he had received, does not present himself to the priests who could have attested to his healing but, «immediately», begins to proclaim the Good News.
