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Exegesis
February 12, 2006 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Rev. Timothy P. Schehr Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46 X 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1 X Mark 1:40-45
Our health is very important to us. Many of us—especially if we have reached a certain age—value annual check-ups just to head off any troubles. Each year we add a few more words to our vocabulary of medical terms as we pursue our goal to remain physically fit. The readings for this Sunday remind us that we should be making every effort to remain spiritually fit too.
The first reading comes from the Book of Leviticus. As the title suggests, this book has much to say about the tribe of Levi that enjoyed the privilege of serving the Lord in special ways. But Leviticus also includes a lot of instructions for rest of the people. We could read it as a sort of practical manual about what it means to be the people of God.
This reading comes from a portion of the book focused on protecting the people from harmful influences. The issue in this case is skin disease. Once we get past the initial shudder at hearing about scabs and pustules, we may begin to wonder what any of this had to do with understanding our relationship with God. In other words, why are we listening to this at Sunday Mass?
If we shift our focus to the spiritual level an answer begins to materialize. What if people were equally careful about endangering the spiritual well-being of the community We might recall what Jesus said about cleanliness—that it is what comes from a person’s inner self that defiles (Mk 7:20).
It is worth noting that there is no biblical record of a disease related epidemic threatening the lives of the people of Israel. But the Bible includes plenty of examples of spiritual epidemics threatening their lives. It seems Israel had no lack of unholy influences from people who refused to listen to God and led others in the same direction. Remember that a whole generation of Israelites never made it to the Promised Land because a handful of faithless people weakened their trust in God’s power to save.
The first reading connects neatly with the gospel passage in which the Lord heals a leper. The man’s physical suffering was certainly motivation enough to ask the Lord for a cure. But we should also bear in mind that this leper was also barred from interacting with others. So the healing Jesus extends to him has implications way beyond physical comfort. This is why Jesus tells the former leper to present himself to the priests. Their declaration of cleanliness would allow the man to be a part of society again.
The leper is so elated over his cure he tells everyone about it even though Jesus directed him not to. Jesus did not want such healing to distract from his principal task of proclaiming the gospel. His miracles were intended to alert people to the power of the gospel to heal them spiritually and lead them to eternal life.
At the end of the gospel we find Jesus outside in deserted places; he could no longer enter a town openly without encountering huge crowds pressing him for physical healings. But people kept coming to Jesus even in those deserted places. At least in such places there might be a greater opportunity for them to hear the word of God too.
In the second reading Paul invites the church in Corinth to take a lesson from the way he lives his life. Like him, they should seek the benefit of others first, always remembering that the key thing is to help others hear the saving message of the gospel.
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