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Meditation on Mark 1:40-45

Gospel
Mark 1:40-45
The leprosy left him, and he was made clean.

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This passage from the gospel of Mark is today's gospel reading for the mass. I heard a sermon on it last night at St. Charles and was moved to use if for today's meditation. I think it is one of the most amazing passages in the bible.

Leprosy is like sin, disgusting and deadly. Like leprosy sin deadens our feelings over time so we are not even aware of the horrific damage it is doing to our souls. Like leprosy sin makes us unfit for communion with others, with our fellow man and with God. Sin is also contagious, being around those engaging in deliberate and grievous sin makes us susceptible to sin as well. All very grim stuff isn't it? But then there is Jesus who says, moved with pity, "Be made clean." Jesus then touches the leper! He reaches out and takes on our sin and in the end he dies for it. Such amazing love is incomprehensible to me. Jesus, while we are spitting on him and beating him and crucifying him reaches out and touches us and heals us of the disease of sin. More than that even, he reaches out to us who are already dead in sins, are nothing but a rotting corpse, and restores life and health to our spirits. Thanks be to God!

And so I kneel before Christ and pray, "Lord make me clean. Amen."

--
Larry Devich
I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
Philippians 4:11b

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