February 11, 2009
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Breaking Open the Word By James Cavanagh Feb. 15: Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Scripture readings: Overview: In ancient times leprosy was not just a physical problem requiring medical attention; it was seen as a spiritual disease. Leprosy symbolized sin, making a person ritually unclean and therefore unfit to participate in communal worship. Leprosy was thought to be highly contagious and so lepers were quarantined from the rest of the community until he was healed. A person afflicted with the disease had to “dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp” (Lev 13:46). Because he was considered not just unclean physically but spiritually as well, a priest had to determine whether or not he was healed and could return to the community. The great tragedy of leprosy was not so much the physical disease, but isolation from God’s family. It may seem odd that Jesus tells the healed man in this week’s Gospel to keep silent about the miracle. But Jesus does this to prevent any misunderstanding about who he is. He is not just another wonder-worker (a fairly common occurrence in the ancient world). For Mark, the healing power of Christ is inseparable from the cross. It is the centurion at the foot of the cross at the end of the Gospel who rightly proclaims Jesus for who he is: the Son of God from whose pierced heart stream forth the healing power of God. Key verse: “Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, ‘I do will it. Be made clean’” (Mk 1:41). “Catechism of the Catholic Church”: “Christ’s compassion toward the sick and his many healings of every kind of infirmity are a resplendent sign that ‘God has visited his people’ and that the kingdom of God is close at hand. Jesus has the power not only to heal, but also to forgive sins; he has come to heal the whole man, soul and body; he is the physician the sick have need of” (No. 1502-3). Pope Benedict XVI: “The root of man’s wretchedness is loneliness, the absence of love—the fact that my existence is not embraced by a love that makes it necessary. What man needs is a communion that goes beyond that of the collective; a unity that reaches deep into the heart of man and endures even in death” (“Principles of Catholic Theology”). Application: Human suffering has a profoundly spiritual dimension, which reaches down to the very core of our being. The sacraments of healing—confession and anointing of the sick—address the problem of suffering at its root. Disease and death are symptoms of our fallen state. God did not will them; they entered the world “through the devil’s envy” (Wis 2:24). It is God’s will to heal and make whole. In response to those who wonder why God allows sickness and suffering God’s answer is … Christ. |
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