Breaking the Word

1^st Week of Ordinary Time, Friday – 14^th January 2022 — Gospel: Mark 2:1-12

Total Healing

The scribes, who spent their lives studying Scripture, should have recalled the words of the prophets regarding the Messiah and realized that he was in their midst. Instead, they criticized Jesus and demanded to know about his right to forgive sins. Jesus brilliant response did three things: it established his authority to heal, to forgive sins, and to open for the scribes the Messiah. Mark’s emphasis on the authority to forgive sins is a proof that Jesus wanted total healing for the man rather than physical healing. Key to whole health is forgiveness of sins. He also brings out the point that Jesus has the authority like God to forgive sins. While the scribes refused to accept the Messiah, the crowds responded in amazement.

1^st Week of Ordinary Time, Thursday – 13^th January 2022 — Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

Beyond Human Perception

The healing of a leper is found in Synoptics (Mk 1,40-45; Mt 8,1-4; Lk 5,12-15), but both Matthew and Luke omit the emotional reactions of Jesus found in Mark. In all three accounts it is clear that the leper broke social conventions in his desperate attempt to get help. He breaks the law of purity of the Jewish society as he approached Jesus. Rather than recoiling from the leper, as many of his contemporaries might have done, Jesus responds to the leper with kindness and reaches out to touch the untouchable. The man was immediately cleansed from his leprosy, and Jesus helped to arrange for his social reintegration by directing him to go through the steps mandated by the law of Moses (Mk 1,44; cf. Lev 14,1-32). Jesus’ precedent action here is more direct, more immediate and consequently, more powerful. By touching the leper, Jesus bridges the gap between the clean and the unclean, and goes beyond the ordinary human perception of love. This bridging is a radical step to proclaim in action that everyone is welcomed to enter the kingdom of God.