This Sunday's Gospel: "People came to Jesus from every quarter"

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Paul said, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."

2000 years later, the message of the world is to look out for ourselves and our own needs first. Jesus told us to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength… and to love our neighbour as ourself.

Just as Paul united his suffering with the suffering of Christ, we must be willing to die to ourselves in order to live for others.

Jesus touched the leper, which meant that He was regarded as unclean by Jewish law and would have had to submit to all of the various ceremonial purifications before He could enter into the temple, synagogues or even the towns.

I like what Paul said about “Avoid giving offense” to anyone. I had better work on that one.

At our TLM it was Septuagesima Sunday but our priests referred to this Gospel and reminded us that the leper is each of us, we all the healing touch of Christ.
 
“Leprosy of the soul…” - that’s what we have when we sin.
 
One of the things that struck me hearing the Mass readings this morning was that, while the first reading from Leviticus and the Gospel were about lepers and leprosy, the Psalm was concerned with repentence for sin, and the joy of having one’s sins taken away.

Relating it to the Gospel reading, we can understand that having sin is like having leprosy-- it divides us from God and from other people and we are forced, often by our own decisions, to live apart from others, be that emotionally or in our relationships. It is only when, in repentence, we approach God through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, that we can be truly free.
 
** “If you wish, you can make me clean.”**

This is what stood out for me today.

Jesus makes us clean because he wishes to. He has no duty or obligation to. He came to earth because He desired to, not because of some compulsion. He didn’t have to come and save us. He could have left us in our filth.

If Jesus hadn’t come, we would all be spiritual lepers, made to dwell outside the camp of God. But Jesus did come. He calls all of us who will listen to His voice to come to Him. He does indeed wish to make us all clean so that we can be brought into the camp of heaven and dwell with God.

Jesus making us clean is a completely gratuitous gift of His perfect love. He answers each of us the same, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Every time we ask Him in sincerity, repenting of that which makes us unclean, He cleanses us.

Jesus does this for no other reason than He wishes to.
 
Eileen T:
Paul said, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ."
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This line stood out for me as well. I did the second reading today and it made me feel very uncomfortable, but resulted and still is, in much soul-searching. Yes, I was reading Paul’s words, not my own, but the congregation was staring at me and I know I do not imitate Christ as I should.

What I really resonated, though, is when Paul said that we are to “do everything for the glory of God.” I love that and am going to try to apply that to my life–no matter what I’m doing, do it for His glory, whether it’s something like doing the readings at Mass or just taking out the trash, do it all for His glory, not for my own.
 
On the Gospel this morning, I have a question.

Why did Jesus instruct the man not to tell anyone that He healed him?

What was he worried about? That more people would come to him? Wouldn’t that be a good thing?

Anyone know?
 
The priest giving the homily today said the earliest records on MK 1:40-45 said “moved with anger” instead of “moved with pity”. It was changed because we won’t except an angry Christ. The lesson being, we should be angry about people who are on the fringes of our faith and are not brought into the Church.
 
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Unfinished:
On the Gospel this morning, I have a question.

Why did Jesus instruct the man not to tell anyone that He healed him?

What was he worried about? That more people would come to him? Wouldn’t that be a good thing?

Anyone know?
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I imagine because Jesus knew He would be swamped with people coming to be healed and that was not His primary mission which was to preach the Good News about the Kingdom.

After healing the leper Jesus was no longer able to enter a town openly. He had to dwell apart from the town just like a leper had to as prescribed in the Jewish Law.
 
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Holland:
The priest giving the homily today said the earliest records on MK 1:40-45 said “moved with anger” instead of “moved with pity”. It was changed because we won’t except an angry Christ. The lesson being, we should be angry about people who are on the fringes of our faith and are not brought into the Church.
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Very imaginative on your priest’s part, however it is not borne out by any of the several commentaries or translation footnotes I have access to. Besides, Jesus is portrayed elsewhere in the Gospels as being angry (Mark 3:5).
 
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Fidelis:
Very imaginative on your priest’s part, however it is not borne out by any of the several commentaries or translation footnotes I have access to. Besides, Jesus is portrayed elsewhere in the Gospels as being angry (Mark 3:5).
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It may have been very imaginative on the Priest’s part but I do have a line on where he may have procured his information;
rosetta.reltech.org/TC/vol05/Ehrman2000a.html

I just think it is really odd that so many people in so many different places got the same “anger” Homily.
 
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Holland:
It may have been very imaginative on the Priest’s part but I do have a line on where he may have procured his information;
rosetta.reltech.org/TC/vol05/Ehrman2000a.html

I just think it is really odd that so many people in so many different places got the same “anger” Homily.
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A very interesting article, which brings up a number of intriguing speculations about the variety of ancient manuscripts. However, as even the article points out, these are, in fact speculations about what these variations mean.

I have a HUGE problem with homilists pronouncing esoteric theological speculation from the pulpit where it is often delivered (and recieved by the listeners) as established fact or Church teaching. As we have seen from this thread, it only causes stress and confusion among the average Catholic.
 
"show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people"

My cousin ask a question regarding this Gospel and it goes like this. Why did God make the people shout out that they were uncleaned if He is a merciful God why would He subject people already miserable with more humiliation. My reply wasn’t very good I am afraid and now I need your help, however when going over the reading the above caption caught my eye and if I can get this answered I may be able to answer her.

Thanks
Kathleen
 
BOBKAT said:
"show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to the people"

My cousin ask a question regarding this Gospel and it goes like this. Why did God make the people shout out that they were uncleaned if He is a merciful God why would He subject people already miserable with more humiliation. My reply wasn’t very good I am afraid and now I need your help, however when going over the reading the above caption caught my eye and if I can get this answered I may be able to answer her.

Thanks
Kathleen
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Hi Kathleen – Just to clarify, what was the answer you gave to your cousin that left you unsatisfied? Maybe we can go from there.

My first thought is that he did it for two reasons, neither of which were for the purpose of humiliating these poor people: If these people did truly have an infectous disease, it was to protect others from being infected. Secondly, it would keep the lepers themselves from violence by getting too close to people who would be defending the health of themselves or their families.
 
Hi Fidelis,

My answer was that I understood what she was saying,but couldn’t come up with a good answer. I am taking a course in Church Ministry and so I was the most logical person to bring that question too. I also said to her that I don’t know why I get it and can’t explain it and she somehow understood. Maybe you can help me. I seem to have an understanding beyond explaination is this normal?

Thanks and God Bless
Kathleen
 
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BOBKAT:
Hi Fidelis,

My answer was that I understood what she was saying,but couldn’t come up with a good answer. I am taking a course in Church Ministry and so I was the most logical person to bring that question too. I also said to her that I don’t know why I get it and can’t explain it and she somehow understood. Maybe you can help me. I seem to have an understanding beyond explaination is this normal?

Thanks and God Bless
Kathleen
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I lot of times we feel we understand something implicitly but can’t explain it. Happens to me all the time. :o

If you’re taking a course in Church Ministry, I’m presuming that you may, at some point, start teaching some religious ed. If that’s the case, it’s a good idea to start practicing explaining complex concepts. Find someone sympathetic willing to listen while you sort of think outloud and work your way through explaining something on a certain topic. For example, take my answer above, and try to explain it in your own words.

You could also try working it out in writing in a journal or even in this forum, where you can get some (hopefully) helpful constructive criticism.Good luck!
 
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