Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Cycle B

Sunday, February 14th, 2021
Readings: Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46,
Psalm 32  “I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation”,   Corinthians 10: 31-11:1, Mark 1: 40-45

My dear brothers and sisters, the  Gospel of today’s mass present us with the healing of the leper. It must have been an extraordinary scene. He knelt before Jesus and said, “if you wish, you can make me clean”. Perhaps he had prepared a longer speech, explaining how he contracted the disease, or about how he has suffered, or about how he wish to be united with society. But in the end this simple blurted-out aspiration, filled with trust,with sincere sensitivity, was enough. “If you wish, you can make men clean”.

These few words are in a fact a powerful prayer. Jesus took pity on him, and told him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Our Lord always wants to heal us of our weaknesses and our sins. And there is no need for us to wait months or days for him to pass through our city or our town. Every day we can find the same Jesus of  Nazareth who healed the leper. He is there in the nearest tabernacle, in the  heart of a soul in grace, in the sacrament of penance.

Jesus has taught us that the worst sickness is hypocrisy, the pride that leads us to conceal our sins. We have to be totally sincere with him. We have to tell the whole truth, and like the leper tell him, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Let us  remember that  our very  failings, weaknesses or illnesses  can be the opportunity  for us to approach Christ as the leper did. And from that moment on he would have been an unconditional disciple of his Lord. Do we go to confession, pray, attend mass with these dispositions of faith and trust?

May the Lord bless us with his presence. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Fr. Paschal Chester, svd