Sunday, February 11, 2024
Lectio Divina
Weekend of February 10th, 2024
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, You seek to heal all our wounds and to bring us more fully into community with You and with others. Help me to place myself in the stance of the leper. Open my heart Lord to the wounds in my life that you want to heal. Remind me in times of isolation and pain that I am never alone. You are always with me, always. Help me to see others in their suffering and have the courage to step into their suffering so that they are not alone. Help me to let go of me for the benefit of others. These are hard truths Lord. I cannot do this alone. Come Lord Jesus.
1st Reading
LV 13:1-2, 44-46
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants. If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall mue his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”
Reflection
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside camp. While the physical ailment of leprosy no longer holds the stigma that it once did, we each carry wounds that we feel separate us in some way from others. Feeling lonely and isolated is a great burden to carry. This reading gives us the opportunity to take two questions to prayer. "Lord, is there an area of my life where I feel like the leper?" If something comes to mind, whether it be minor, major, present, or past, share this hurt with Jesus. Ask Jesus to help you to heal these wounds. The second question, "Lord, is there someone in my life who might feel like a leper?" This time if someone comes upon your heart ask Jesus what you can do to ease their isolation.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 32
R. (7) I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart.
R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.
Reflection
I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with joy of salvation. As I first began the process of copying over this Psalm, I debated cutting out the repetition of the response and only having it at the top. But then I read through that response again and again and again. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with joy of salvation. The familiar first person use of "you" strikes me. While the repetition does not exist like this in the psalm it seems especially fitting tied in to our first reading. In those times of isolation this Psalm becomes our prayer repeated again and again to allow it to make it's way from our head space to our heart space. Where in life is Jesus awaiting these words of faith from you?
2nd Reading
1 Cor 10:31-11:1
Brothers and sisters, Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
Reection
"Just as I try to please everyone in every way." I have been know to advise others, "You can't please everyone." This is true, we can't. Jesus, a perfect model of how we are supposed to live our lives certainly did not please everyone. What Jesus certainly did do is seek the benefit of others. The cornerstone of Jesus' mission is summed up in John, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son." Jesus never sought His own benefit. We will not make everyone happy. I think it's important to just accept that as fact, it will save us a lot of discouragement. The fact though does not change the call that St. Paul places on our lives. We are called to serve whoever God puts in our path. Are there encounters in this upcoming week where you know there will be a battle of wills? Ask Jesus to show you His way and ask for the strength to not always have to be right or to come out on top.
Gospel
Mk 1:40-45
A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”
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. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
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.” 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.
Reection
This Gospel is a heartstring moment for me, always. The leper shows such faith, vulnerability, and humility. He was faithful to approach Jesus and recognize that Jesus could remove his leprosy. He was vulnerable to expose that area of his life that has caused his greatest pain (both physically and emotionally). He was humble to acknowledge and respect that the decision was Jesus'. I felt much like the leper when I suffered regularly from anxiety. I felt isolated because I didn't want to admit this to others and didn't feel like anyone understood how I felt. For decades I cried out to Jesus that He made me this way and I was despondant at times imagining that this was how I was going to live for the rest of my life. While I understood the leper's pain, I lacked his faith. For far too many years I just assumed that my anxiety was an integral part of how God made me. I assumed that I just had to 'suck it up.' I wasn't brave enough to ask for healing because I didn't believe He would. Is there anywhere in your life that you have been 'sucking it up?' What has prevented you from approaching Jesus in faith, vulnerability, and humility? I witness again the amazing, loving healing He can bring in to any struggle. Let Him in.
