Understanding the Word

By Dianne Bergant, C.S.A.

Leprosy included a wide variety of chronic skin diseases. Those with skin ailments were deemed unclean and were banished from the community. The real  tragedy of leprosy was less the physical discomfort than the social estrangement  and the religious alienation that resulted. Probably because such social and religious alienation was so severe, it was believed that the condition was brought on  by some kind of sin. When the conditions that made a person unclean no longer  held, it was necessary for the person to undergo some rite of purification before  being readmitted into the community. This explains why a priest was involved.  

Paul argues that the gospel is demanding enough; people do not need to be  burdened with obligations that are extraneous to its message. He insists that  neither food laws nor the assertion of one’s freedom should be the governing  principle in the lives of Christians. The glory of God and sensitivity to others  should be the driving force. “Avoid giving offense” is the policy he advocates. The  passage ends with a final admonition: Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. Paul  indeed adapted himself to the needs of others, and he did this after the example  of Christ. The Corinthians are exhorted to follow Paul, who followed Christ. 

The man in the Gospel story was suffering from the kind of skin ailment  referred to in the first reading. Despite his condition, he boldly approached Jesus  and begged to be made clean. Jesus was moved with pity. He knew that if he  touched an unclean man he would become ritually unclean as well. However, his  touch actually healed the man and restored him to the state of ritual purity. Jesus  then sent him off to the priest for verification of the healing. Once again, the news  of his marvelous power causes him to choose the seclusion of solitary places  rather than the press of the crowd and their misunderstanding of his mission. 

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