The laws regarding leprosy in Lev. 13-14 were meant to keep the people of Israel holy, that is, ritually clean before God. But the Law shows its limits in that it cannot prevent the breaking out of a disease like leprosy which renders a man unfit to join the people of God. In Mark 1:40-45 Jesus, the Holy One of God, not only brings a leper back to health but also restores him to communion. Read the articles below and make use of the rest of this page as your guide for reflection.
- Bible WorkshopThe Joy of Being Restored
- Mag-aral TayoAng Pagpapagaling ng Ketongin
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1. One of the tasks of the Messiah according to the prophets of Israel was to restore the lost sheep of Israel. The leper in the narrative of Mark 1:40-45 is clearly one of those who need to be restored to the people of God.
Reflect. Leprosy can be taken as a metaphor for the cause of a person's isolation from community. In your community, are there people that are isolated or treated in such a way that they are not allowed to participate in the life of the community? What does your community do to restore them to fellowship? What do you do personally to restore people to communion?
2. Jesus' reaction to the leper was compassion, but it was not a pity that made him feel superior. Rather it was a compassion that made him reach out and touch the man.
Reflect. In the face of society's rejects and unaccepted what do you feel? In our world filled with divisions, our baptism challenges us to become bridges that unite instead of walls that divide and separate. How do you contribute to the creation of an environment that encourages communion rather than division?
3. We can look at the story of the leper from the standpoint of the leper. When Jesus healed the mother-in-law of Simon, the woman responded by "serving" Jesus and those with him. In the case of the leper, his response to the cleansing received was that he "proclaimed and made known the news (logos)". In other words, he began to "evangelize".
Reflect. You have not only began to share in the life of Christ by your baptism; that life continues to grow in you as you receive the Lord in communion and each time you approach the sacrament of Reconciliation. Can't this be a motive for you to actively participate in the Church's mission of evangelization? Who have you evangelized lately?
