---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: <Sancte_Br...@comcast.net>
Date: Mon, Feb 6, 2012 at 7:51 AM
Subject: Sunday Readings and Commentary
To: "Jeffrey S. J. Allan" <sancte_br...@comcast.net>

 *Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 12, 2012*

*Dominica Sexta Per Annum - die XII Februarii MMXII*

First Reading, Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or
pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be
brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his
descendants.  If the man is leprous and unclean, the priest shall declare
him unclean by reason of the sore on his head.  The one who bears the sore
of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle
his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’  As long as the sore is on
him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean.  He
shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

Commentary

In this Reading lepers are brought to the priest which on a spiritual
level, then, makes leprosy a figure of sin.  Saint John Chrysostom points
out that the authority of priests in this Reading prefigures the authority
that priests would have to bind and loose sins in the New and Everlasting
Covenant.  The descriptive words used here to diagnose leprosy clearly
indicate an unattractive appearance.  In meditation and reflection it’s
always nice to hold on to positive and uplifting images and thoughts; but
once in a while, for the benefit of our souls, it’s wise to reflect on just
how unsightly and hideous sin is.  What does a soul look like that is
marked with scabs, pustules and blotches?  The prophet Habakkuk, speaking
of Almighty God, says: “Your Eyes are too pure to behold evil, and You
cannot look on iniquity” (*Habakkuk 1:13*).  In this Reading lepers are
instructed to dwell apart, outside the camp.  This is sin at its ugliest;
the soul that is unclean because of mortal sin makes its abode outside of
God’s camp.  That is not a comforting reality!

Second Reading, 1 Corinthians 10:31---11:1

Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do
everything for the glory of God.  Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews
or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every
way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be
saved.  Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Commentary

In Saint Paul’s day there were concerns about the possibility that food was
bought at the marketplace from an unbeliever or perhaps the animal used for
meat had been sacrificed to pagan gods.  In his Letter to the Romans, Saint
Paul put these concerns to rest when he wrote: “He who eats, eats for the
Lord, for he gives thanks to God.  And he who does not eat, abstains for
the Lord, and gives thanks to God” (*Romans 14:6*).  Saint Paul is telling
them to not let their concerns weigh on their consciences, but instead
accept everything as being from the Lord and “do everything for the glory
of God” because everything and everyone belongs to God (*cf. Psalm 49
[50]:10-12*).  Food and* *drink belong to God, therefore, eat and drink
with a clear conscience.  Accept even suffering as being from God -- not
literally from God but allowed by God, trusting that if He allows it, then
it will benefit either our own soul or the soul of someone who is in dire
need of assistance.  This is our acceptance of Christ’s invitation to be
co-workers in His work of redemption.  Paul writes: “Be imitators of me.”  Our
Lord has blessed His Church with many souls throughout the centuries who
are worthy of imitation; and they are worthy of imitation because they
imitated Christ.  They followed the prescription of Saint John the Baptist:
Christ increased and they decreased *(cf. John 3:30).    *

Gospel, Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged Him and said, “If You wish,
You can make me clean.”  Moved with pity, He stretched out His Hand,
touched him, and said to him, “I do will it.  Be made clean.”  The leprosy
left him immediately, and he was made clean.  Then, warning him sternly, He
dismissed him at once.  He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses
prescribed; that will be proof for them.”  The man went away and began to
publicize the whole matter.  He spread the report abroad so that it was
impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.  He remained outside in
deserted places, and people kept coming to Him from everywhere.

Commentary
Commenting on this Gospel, Nicholas of Lyra (1270-1340) points out, “It was
not the intention of Christ, that he should not tell anybody; had that been
His wish, he would easily have realized it; He spoke thus purposely, to
show us that we ought not to seek the empty praises of men.”  Siding with
the cured leper, the question must be asked of anyone who truly feels that
the man was disobedient to our Lord: How could anyone who has been
profoundly touched by Jesus Christ remain silent?  By publicizing “the
whole matter,” the man in reality was evangelizing, that is, bringing to
others that very same Jesus Christ Who touched him so deeply.  In any
effort to evangelize, there is no glory to be gained by seeking the praises
of others since it is the Holy Spirit Who does the work; but if Christ is
to be proclaimed by anyone, then it’s vital that the hearers see Jesus in
that person.  Our Lord also told the man to offer the sacrifices prescribed
because the law remained in full force until the Passion of Christ, in
which was offered a perfect Sacrifice that did away with the sacrifices of
the law; or better stated: the sacrifices of the old law found their
fulfillment in the One Supreme Sacrifice of Christ.  Jesus tells the man to
show himself to the priest so that he may be reinstated into the religious
community.  “It was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly” because of
His miraculous healings.  Although Jesus performed many signs and wonders,
this was not why He came.  How many would remain loyal to the miracle
Worker when He would later become the crucified Messiah?  In today’s
morally challenged world, how many still refuse to be lured by the wiles of
the culture and continue to fight the good fight until Christ comes again
in glory?