Mark 1:40-45

Gospel according to Mark 1:40-45

A man with leprosy came to Jesus begging him, and kneeling said to Jesus, “If you choose, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, “I do choose. Be made clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him Jesus sent him away at once, saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” But the man went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the world, so that Jesus could no longer go into town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to Jesus from every quarter.”

Reflections

Leprosy was perhaps the most dreaded disease in Jesus’ time, and for a reason. This infectious disease spread easily due to the hot climate and lack of medical resources to contain it or to heal it.

The Rabbis considered people with leprosy “unclean” because of “their sins” or “the sins of their families, or ancestors” that “…brought on punishment from God in the form of this dreadful disease.” They were forbidden to touch anyone with leprosy, or to get into contact with them.

To avoid infecting others, people who contracted this disease were shunned, and banished from the community. They had to live on the fringes or the peripheries to reduce human contact as much as possible. They were prohibited from entering the towns or interacting with healthy individuals. Their bodies were usually covered with rags to conceal their wounds. They were required to carry a small stick with a bell, which alerted people to stay away from them. Mosaic laws dictated that they had to shout “Leper! Leper!” to warn others of their presence. When people heard the warning, or saw a leper approaching, they went far out of their way to avoid them.

Since the disease was deadly, incurable, and the symptoms progressively worsened, people who contracted this disease were, in a way, considered “walking zombies,” outcasts who were looked down upon, dejected and rejected, and sentenced to live in isolation until death. Without any form of social support, they relied on gathering food in abandoned places and roamed the countryside at night, so as not to be seen or to be chased away with insults -- The word “Leper” was an insult used to designate a person unworthy of human regard.

Today, leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a treatable condition. We know that it is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium leprae, which thrives in hot, and moist tropical climates (WHO, 2023). The infection spreads through the air, when a person coughs or sneezes, and can be transmitted through prolonged physical contact with an infected person's wounds or with contaminated surfaces (WHO, 2023). The disease is progressive: it affects the skin and the peripheral nerves, the mucous membranes of the eyes, and the upper respiratory tract. Its first signs are pale or reddish patches on the skin, with no sensation in these areas; followed by a loss of sensation in the peripheral nerves, and gradual loss of sensation or weakness in the muscles that are supplied by nerves (WHO, 2023). The treatment of leprosy requires the administration of a combination of antibiotic medication. It takes six to twelve months for the symptoms to clear up (WHO, 2023). Currently, this tropical disease is still present in about 120 countries of the world. About 200, 000 people every year get infected by leprosy (WHO, 2000).

Leaving Capernaum, where He healed a large multitude of people afflicted with various illnesses, Jesus continued his path through Galilee to proclaim the good news. Walking in the countryside with his disciples, they came across a man with leprosy. The word of the miraculous healings spread so wide and so rapidly that this man had already heard about Jesus, and was probably looking and hoping to find a way to see him. Prohibited from entering the city during the day, he met Jesus and the disciples outside the city gates in a remote area, where there was no one else around.

In contrast to the city, this scenario occurred in a remote and abandoned place with no other witnesses. There were no crowds, and no relatives. This man encountered Jesus and his disciples in the “middle of nowhere,” where he waited privately, secretly, only moved by his faith and hope that Jesus would walk that way and not refuse to see him.

The occasion lets us have a glimpse at this very intimate and private moment in Jesus’ life, encountering an ill man who requested his help. There was no questioning of Jesus’ ability to heal, only full acceptance that it depended on His will if the miracle of healing would occur. Similarly, Jesus did not question the faith of the man, or inquire about his life. He responded to what the man expressed in words: “Lord if you choose to, you can make me clean.” The emphasis was on the choice -- on the willingness, and decision there and then, in that moment, for Jesus to want this man to be healthy. The sick man did make a demand -- he knelt and begged Jesus, but he did not impose. He left the answer entirely to Jesus, knowing full well that his entire life depended on it.

This man had full trust in Jesus. He placed his entire life in His hands. And Jesus did not disappoint him. He did not stand back, shriek away, step sideways, look away, or walk on. Jesus was not scared or disgusted by the disfiguration of his body, the bleeding wounds and the infectious ulcers and scars. He looked at the man, He heard the request, and He loved him unconditionally and without hesitation: He chose to heal him, there on the spot.

Jesus responded with full compassion to the suffering man. He did not ask where he came from; what he would do with his life; or if he was worthy of being healed. Jesus’ heart was full of love and tenderness. He used the powers bestowed upon Him by the Father to restore this man’s health. His love was instant and unquestionable. He was moved by pity, but he said not a word of pity. He only answered: “I do choose. Be made clean.” And instantly, this man was healed from leprosy.

After this, Jesus admonished the man not to go and tell any other person anything about his healing but to do as it was ordered according to the law of Moses: If anyone is to receive healing from a disease, they should first show themselves to the priests. After prayer and offerings, if they still continue to be healthy, they should be allowed to rejoin the community.

Jesus’ interaction with the ill man set him aside from the behavior of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes. However, by instructing the man to show himself to the priests, He asked him to obey the commandments of the law, and to proceed according to the rules of the Jewish community. With these actions, Jesus showed that he did not come to abolish the Law of Moses, but to bring it to fullness.

The reading tells us that the man did not heed Jesus’ request. Instead of remaining quiet and showing himself to the priests for these to appoint a time at which he would be considered cured and allowed back into society, he went straight to tell everyone and to proclaim with a loud voice that Jesus healed him. This caused an inconvenience for Jesus, because he was becoming so much sought after that he could not go into the cities but had to stay outside so that the people could come to him.

The religious leaders were astounded and perplexed because Jesus’s miracles were unexplainable other than that He possessed capacities and powers that were superior to theirs. Therefore, they started to become curious, and envious towards Jesus. This was another reason why Jesus had to stay in the peripheries and continue his mission half in secret, so that he would not be stopped or hindered.

The Good News kept spreading throughout Galilee, and there was no way of stopping the people who have been touched by Jesus’ actions, and His grace. This was a radical new way of teaching, and healing, and the heart of it was love and immediacy. It was a personal connection and relationship that did not need unnecessary questions, gestures, ceremonies, or rituals. God’s love was unconditional and met people in their need wherever they were and whoever they were.

This miracle reminds us of God’s immense love for those who are suffering and those who others “want to forget about.” God does not consider the suffering human being abhorrent. There is no form of suffering that does not move the heart of God. God’s love in non-judgmental. The condemnation of society does not create barriers for Him. He is especially near to those on the peripheries. He seeks them out. He meets us in the secret of our hearts so that we may not have to fear being observed by unwanted eyes and questioned or interrogated in cruel ways. Therefore, when we are in need, we can entirely rely on Jesus. All we need to do is pray and ask. Have confidence, and, in the secret of our hearts, He will meet us, and heal.

Another reminder that this reading leaves us with today is that God sends us to do likewise: Follow the rules, that is, within the framework of our society, proclaim the good news. Be a beacon of hope to people who we happen to meet. Have a flame of passion fueled by love. Faced with a person is need, do not look the other way, do not jump to quick conclusions, and do not question to harass. Instead, choose. Choose to love, choose to console, and choose to help. --Choose to share some good news.