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| “Christ Healing a Leper” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, C. 1655 |
Commentary:
Reading I: 1 John 5:5-13
Commentary on 1 Jn 5:5-13
St. John’s first letter provides a unique understanding of Jesus' baptism and baptismal theology in general. His reference to “water” is a reference to the Lord’s baptism. The “Spirit” is a reference to the Holy Spirit descending upon the Lord as he came out of his baptismal bath. Finally he refers to Blood which is a symbol of the Cross. In that baptismal event was also God’s own testimony about the identity of his Only Son (Matthew 3:16-17). St. John’s logic in this passage teaches that if one does not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, they call God a liar because he testified to the identity of his Son.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem
or:
R. Alleluia.
Commentary on Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Psalm 147 is a hymn of praise. In these strophes the singer celebrates God’s gifts to his people: the gift of faith to the patriarch Jacob, and the gift of his presence in the holy city Jerusalem. These strophes are from the third section (each section offering praise for a different gift from God to his special people). This section focuses on the gift of the Promised Land with Jerusalem as its spiritual center. We see the call to praise Jerusalem, the Holy City, because in it was revealed the Word of God and a call to holiness. The Lord is praised for sending food that sustains the people. The final strophe also rejoices that the Law was handed on to them through Jacob.
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Gospel: Luke 5:12-16
Commentary on Lk 5:12-16
In this account of Jesus curing the leper, we see two remarkable details. First, it was clearly stated in Hebrew law that those designated as “unclean” could not approach anyone closer than about ten feet. This leper was clearly much closer. He was so close to Jesus that he “stretched out his hand, touched him.” Not just with a word was this leper made clean. The Lord touched him, which by Hebrew law was taboo. In one action the Lord demonstrates his power over the disease and his authority over the law. The crowds throng him once again because of his holiness and, once more, he withdraws to speak with the Father (“but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray”).
CCC: Lk 5:16 2602
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Reflection:
We are fast approaching the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord which signals the conclusion of the Church’s celebration of Christmas. The Christmas season is so full of portent for what is to come. Even today as we look back at the Epiphany (the remarkable light that shone down on the manger in Bethlehem) and forward to the Lord’s immersion in the waters of the Jordan (which make all waters holy for us) we find cause for great hope and joy.
In the midst of our reverie comes the story of Christ healing the leper. There are several remarkable facets of this story beyond the obvious healing miracle. The first of these is the impact Jesus’ healing touch had on the life of this man. Identified as “a man full of leprosy,” he could have been suffering from any of several skin diseases that would have caused him to be outcast. In our terminology, we would say he was excommunicated from his faith community. This would have been done, in accordance with Mosaic Law, to protect other members of the community if the disease was contagious. It was also done because it was presumed that one so afflicted must have committed a great sin against God.
When the Lord cured him, he brought him back to God. He lifted the excommunication and brought the man back into the grace of God. The story tells us that Jesus instructed him: “show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed.” Presumably this would have been a sin offering, one of the many sacrifices demanded under the law. Jesus would later become the sin offering for us all, removing any future need for such rituals.
A second remarkable thing that happened in this story was Jesus touched him! The Gospel says: “Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him.” A Jewish reader of the time when this Gospel was first written would have reacted like we would if we saw a person jump into a pit full of poisonous snakes or spiders. Jesus violated a strict taboo by touching one who was called “unclean.” By law, these outcasts were to keep a distance of at least ten feet away from others who were not so afflicted. Jesus touched him!
We can only imagine what that must have felt like. It would have been a feeling like being washed in clean water that would wash away a burning, itching and painful coating. But that touch would have done more. It would have caused an interior transformation as well. The very soul of the man would have become sparkling clean. That would have been the effect of the touch of one who takes away the sins of the world.
As we continue our Christmas celebration again this day, we pray to be touched by the one who makes us whole. We ask our Lord and Savior, through the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar to reach out and touch us, making us one with him.
Pax
[1] The picture is “Christ Healing a Leper” by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, C. 1655.
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