1st Sunday Advent

Sunday 13th February 2000

Theme: Jesus - the healer, the one who forgives sin

A reading from the Book of Leviticus 13: 1 - 2, 45 -46
The dread sickness of leprosy is described. Even now scars or diseases of the skin are unsightly and may fill us with revulsion. Such things may separate us from friends, even from loved ones. The sufferer may feel rejected, suffer from low esteem or worse may experience ridicule and bullying. Such is the close relationship between health of body and health of mind. Sin was understood to cut the sinner off from family and community just as the leper had to cry out “unclean”, and was banished to live outside the camp.

First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 10: 31 - 11: 1
Following the theme of previous passages from this letter used in last few weeks, the apostle Paul, now directs his readers to dedicate themselves completely to God’s service, to treat everyone, whether Jew or Greek with equal respect. Never concerned with one’s own advantage, the Christian is only to be concerned with bringing health and freedom to others.

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The Gospel according to Mark 1: 40 - 45
That Jesus should reach out and touch the leper who dared to approach him, would have been very shocking to the audience. This simple gesture of touch, breaks the banishment imposed by this disease, brings healing, and restores the sufferer to his family and community. Mark would have us understand that Jesus is the healer of all ills, whether bodily or of mind, and Jesus makes us free, and restores us reconciled to the community.

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time