Homily Sixth Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: In those days, leprosy was a highly contagious disease. Because of lack of medical knowledge, they did not know how a person got leprosy, nor how it is communicated. So to protect the community, it was decided to isolate the leper from all contact with others. It is like COVID 19. Lepers had to warn others of their disease and remain in isolation. Today, leprosy is treatable and under control.

 

But what are we doing with spiritual leprosy, sin? The spread of aids, the use of heavy drugs, the easy access to pornography, the promiscuous life of pre-marital and extra marital sex, the quick money from fraud—these and others are the spiritual leprosy that can destroy us. Where leprosy today is contained and curable, the spiritual leprosy is destroying the lives of hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world.

 

Leprosy made a person ritually unclean. Sin makes us unclean. It separates us or dampens our relationship with God. It is amazing how we are more concern about physical disease such as cancer and COVID 19 than about the spiritual cancer of sin. We rightfully go to great lengths to eradicate cancer, so that we can extend our human life for a few more months or years. But what do we do to eradicate the spiritual cancer of sin, so that we can live eternally with God?

 

We are going to enter into the grace season of Lent this week. Will we respond to Jesus’ invitation to repent, namely, to turn away from sin and turn more radically to God?

 

Gospel: The leper acts contrary to the restrictions of the first reading. He didn’t stay at a distance, crying unclean. He came in direct contact with Jesus. Can you imagine the reaction of all those around?  Jesus was moved with compassion. Jesus saw beyond the leprosy to the person himself. He saw the faith of the person. The leper knew he had no right to demand healing. “If you will, you can…” There was no doubt about Jesus’ healing power. But it was Jesus’ choice to heal him or not.

 

 

In his turn, Jesus tells the man that he has come to heal and set free those under the bondages of sin. Then Jesus does the unimaginable thing, he touched the leper. In the eyes of the Law, Jesus made himself ritually unclean. But in this gesture, Jesus was taking upon himself our sinfulness. As St Paul said: “He became sin for us.”

 

What is our spiritual leprosy which spiritually disfigures us in our relationship with Jesus and others? Just as the man came to Jesus with expectant faith, asking for a healing, so we need to recognize that Jesus wants to free us from the spiritual leprosy of our sins. But we must come to him.

 

There is another point in the Gospel. The man is told not to witness to others what Jesus did. Jesus had not yet died and risen. Lest that people should focus on part of Jesus mission and not the full reason for his coming, the man is admonished to focus on being certified free of leprosy by the high priest so that he can enter fully back into the community.

 

But the man did witness freely concerning the miracle. While the man was able to rejoin the community, Jesus had to isolate himself, the reversible in life styles.

 

Reading 2: “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it for the glory of God.” In another place, Paul said: “Whatever you do in speech or in action, do it for the love of God, giving thanks to the Father through Jesus Christ.” The ordinary is changed by intention into something extraordinary. Everyday actions and common experiences are made grace moments, bringing us into the presence of God. Holiness consists, not in extraordinary sacrifices, but by living in the present moment, consciously seeking to please God in response for his love and blessings already received.

 

Paul says that the focus is not himself but others. In doing what he says he does he indicates that he is following the example of Christ. What if we made a conscious intention and be attentive to live this way? Would our life be different?

 As we enter into Lent, we are called to not only reject the temptations of Satan but also to reject his works. The works of Satan are the variety of sins that have been part of our journey since baptism. It was not that the fruit of the tree was not something to desire for Eve and Adam, but it was what acting on that desire would mean to their relationship with God. In other words, it wasn't the fruit that was the sin. It was their disobedience to God and their desire to be equal to God that was sinful. Paul reminds us that there is a law of sin within us.  This is what we are called to reject. Paul did by turning to Jesus for his help. "Our help is in the name of the Lord."

 Sixth Sunday of Year: Gospel B

A leper came to him (and kneeling down) begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." 

· In the Old Testament we find two instances where lepers were cured: Numbers 12:10-15 and 2 Kings 5:1-14.

· Leprosy was very contagious. Because of this the Mosaic Law stated that lepers were both physically and ritually impure. Therefore, they were not allowed to be in contact with others less they too would become affected and made ritually unclean.

· The man sought to be made clean or healed so that he could live a normal life and worship with others.

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. 

· Normally, there is revulsion at the sight of a leper. But Jesus feels a deep compassion for the man.

· How often have we experienced the compassion of God over some area of sin or affliction in our lives?

· Technically, according to the Mosaic Law, when Jesus touched the leper he himself became ritually unclean.  But Jesus knew that the reason for the Law was preventive medicine and had nothing to do with one’s relationship with God.

· In a symbolic way in touching the leper Jesus became “sin” for us. He took on our sins.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.  Then 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.” 

· Jesus healed not for his sake but to manifest the love and plan of God.

· The only command Jesus gave him was that he be obedient to the Mosaic law—namely be certified as healed—so that he could once more be part of the community.

· The reason why Mark has Jesus tell the man not to publicize the healing is that in Mark’s theology to fully understand who Jesus really is one must wait for his death and resurrection. Jesus is more than a healer. He is the Messiah. But this revelation will not become clear until Jesus completes his mission on the cross.

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. 

· What does this event say to you about your relationship to Jesus? What is the “leprosy” –the area of sin--in your life that Jesus wants to free you from?

· What is preventing you from coming to Jesus with confidence and trust in his love for you and in his power to restore you?

· The man wanted to be made clean. Do we want to be freed from the bondage of sin?

 Our focus for Lent (as well as all year round) is to reject the temptations of Satan. He tempts us to draw us away from God's plan in our lives. This he did to Adam and Eve. This he tried to do with Jesus. While Adam and Eve failed, Jesus rejected Satan. Lent is a training ground for us. We are told by Paul to put on the armor of God. "Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground." (Ephesians 6:11-13) What is that armor during Lent? Prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Jesus prepared himself for the battle with Satan by praying and fasting for forty days. 

 What will you do during the season of Lent to prepare for the renewal of your Baptismal promises at Easter? The focus of the first three promises refer to reason Jesus suffered and died for us on the cross. He gave his life so that we may be freed from the bondage of sin. So, the first three questions are: "Do you reject Satan? And all his works? And all his empty promises?" Thus, the focus of our Lenten journey is the areas of sin in our lives. If what we choose to do during Lent does not address this block to our relationship with God, then our Lent will be fruitless. Our renewal of promises at Easter will be mere lip service. But if our focus is to uproot the source of our sins, even if we don't succeed a hundred percent, the grace of Lent will have been effective in our lives. So, what will you do?

Homily: Fifth Sunday Year B

 

Reading 1: We can possibly relate to Job’s negative attitude about life in general and his life in particular.  Life feels like a drudgery, with long periods of misery, of restlessness, of feeling hopeless and helpless. Basically, a life without much happiness. Job has lost everything, both material possessions and personal relationships. He is afflicted with multiple sores and scabs on his body which causes him much pain. Basically, Job wants to die. Have we every felt like this at times? Today, people would try to medicate themselves with drugs, alcohol and pleasure.

 

But the real issue with Job’s disposition is he feels totally innocent. He blames God for his situation. He wants God to justify why he has caused Job to so suffer all these calamities. In spite of his distressful life, there is a pride and an arrogance in Job. He is right and God is wrong. God owes him a justification.

 

God responds but doesn’t answer him directly. In his confrontation with God, Job experiences the truth. He is not god. He will never fathom the mind of God. All he could do was to surrender himself to God’s plan for him, in order to experience true happiness again.

 

Life is not a drudgery but a mystery. We are not the beginning and end of life, nor the center of life. God is. Difficulties are part of the human journey because of the sin of Adam and Eve.  In the midst of our present situation in the world, with the pandemic, with the bleak economy news locally, with the turmoil in the world, we have a choice. We can despair like Job or hope in the Lord. The choice is to be overwhelmed by the darkness or expect the light of a new dawn.

 

Gospel: An encounter with Jesus brings about a choice: to believe and follow him temporarily or permanently or to walk away and remain the same. Simon, Andrew, James and John were encountered by Jesus. As a result, they left their former way of life to follow Jesus, not always perfectly, but willing to be discipled and formed.

 

Simon’s mother-in-law was encountered by Jesus, who healed her. She, in turn, served his needs. Many of the sick were touched by Jesus. What was their response? Some may have become disciples. Others went their way to be different or to be the same. We don’t know. Jesus encountered the evil spirits. They acknowledged who he was, but remained in their state of eternal alienation.

 

Have we had a personal encounter with Jesus that has made a difference in our life? What has happened to us as a result? Have we become disciples and followers, so that we can grow in our relationship with him? Have we been convicted by the message of the Gospel, namely, the cross of Jesus, by which we have been saved?

 

The foundation of Jesus life and ministry was grounded in his relationship with the Father. He knows, in his humanity, the importance of spending time in prayer with the Father in the midst of ministry. It was in these moments that Jesus came to discover the Father’s will for him in any present moment of life. He was not about his ministry but the Father’s ministry. Is this what moves us in our lives?

 

Reading 2: Paul’s life after his conversion to the person of Jesus Christ was anything but pleasant and comfortable. He was beaten, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, felt abandoned, even to the point of despair.  But for Paul what or who made the difference was the person of Jesus Christ and his gospel of salvation. Once Paul came into the light of salvation, he felt compelled to preach Jesus and him crucified and risen. He went so far as to say: “Woe is me, if I do not proclaim the Good News, whether convenient or inconvenient.” 

 

Because of Jesus and the freedom of faith in Jesus, Paul willingly gave his total self to reaching out to all, so that at least some would be saved. Once his personal encounter with Jesus changed his life, Paul could not and would not be the same. “I live now, not I, but Christ Jesus in me…In him, I move and live and have my being…I want nothing but to be conformed to his passion, so I can share in his resurrection.” Has our encounter with Jesus affected our lives in a meaningful way?

 "Be sure to taste the moment to the full. The Lord always reveals himself to you where you are most fully present. In your prayer, try to present your anxieties, struggles, and fears to him, and let him show you the way to follow him. More important than anything else is to follow the Lord. The rest is secondary. If you follow him, you can follow him as a priest, as a lay minister, as a single person, or as a married person; but what really counts is that he is the center." Henri Nouwen

It is hard for us to live in the present moment. One of the tactics of the devil is to entrap us in the past or disillusion us about the future. For he knows that God is not in the past nor in the future. God is always in the present moment. But if we are not attentive to the present moment, we may missed the grace. Jesus said that his sheep know his voice and follow him. We can't follow him in the present moment if we are living either in the past or the future. In those moments, it is not Jesus we are following.