Year B Sixth Sunday after Epiphany 12 February 2012
2 Kings 5: 1-14 Psalm 30 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27 Mark 1: 40-45
This week we have two stories about people infected with Leprosy. Leprosy in the Bible referred to many skin conditions and so we can’t know exactly to what extent the lepers in the two readings were affected, but in the very least, this was a condition that limited the person’s ability to live a normal life.
Today we understand Leprosy to be a bacterial infection that causes skin problems, muscle weakens – but most importantly affects the nervous system and the leper’s ability to feel pain.
Many years ago it was thought that leprosy caused flesh to rot and limbs to fall off, but these occurrences were due to the leper not being able to feel. Without the sensation of pain the leper would rest their foot on hot coals without realizing or lean their hand on sharp objects. Without the sensation of pain, the wounds were ignored and complications set in.
We can be like the lepers at times. Our spiritual nervous system becomes impaired when we neglect to nurture it.
Like the leper, if we have this spiritual leprosy, we are unable to even sense our spiritual sickness because we simply do not feel it. There is nothing pricking our consciences because we have become numb to such things.
In each of our stories the lepers were aware and bothered by their leprosy. They lived in a climate that didn’t tolerate leprosy. Due to the lack of sensation the leper may not notice his condition, but those around were quick to point it out and then they became outcast. They certainly were made acutely aware of their need for God’s healing.
In our first reading Naaman, a commander in the army of Aram had leprosy. An Israelite servant girl who had been captured by one of their raiding teams suggested that he go to see the prophet in Israel and “he” would cure him. This is our first little evangelist. She did a great job, but did get it a little wrong because it wasn’t the prophet who can heal, but only God.
Naaman goes to see the prophet but the prophet sends a messenger to tell Naaman to wash seven times in the river Jordon. Naaman is insulted because the prophet didn’t even come out to him and sees the act of washing seven times in the river Jordon as ridiculous.
It really wasn’t such a hard thing, but why the river Jordon? And Naaman angrily suggests that other rivers are just as good – if not better.
Many people today will write on a census form that they are Christian. They don’t attend any church however, and don’t believe that you have to attend church to be a Christian. These people have spiritual leprosy. They are unaware of their condition and they may even attend some meditation class and when getting into spiritual discussions will claim that all religions are basically the same. They will tell you that it doesn’t matter if you are Hindu, Christian or Muslim, Scientologists or new age spiritualist.
This spiritual leprosy is contagious and is so prevalent that society looks at them as being the norm and not as lepers at all. No one seems to feel anything pricking their conscience.... if it makes you happy it can’t be wrong.
Naaman was told to wash seven times in the river Jordon. Figuratively, because this was a land that worshiped the one God – Yaweh, this river is the “river of God”.... not just of any god, but Yaweh. Seven is the number that symbolizes God. Naaman was being shown in a most strong way that his healing would be the work of God and not some prophet. The cure for spiritual leprosy is to be immersed in God.... to be baptized – completely changed by the cleansing of our God of truth.
Our second reading is from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. In this he talks about running a race. He talks about how you can run aimlessly, but that won’t win you the prize. A serious athlete will train in a specific manner to achieve their purpose – to win.
1 Corinthians 9: 26, 27 “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
An athlete will research what is needed to win the race. They will set themselves a training regime that involves working on strengthening their weaknesses and maintaining and bettering their strengths. They will meditate on what it is that they can do to give themselves an edge over their competitors. They understand that all this will take time, dedication and discipline.
St. Paul urged the Corinthians and us with them, to run our spiritual race as though we intend to win.
I have come across people who, with a sense of worry, have said, “Well, I hope I get into heaven”. These people express a doubt that God really cares about them. Our Gospel reading tells us of the leper who said to Jesus, “If you want, you can make me clean”. The leper was sure of Jesus power, but not sure of God’s love for him. Jesus reassures him and heals him.
One of the biggest obstacles in training to win any prize is our self doubt. If we believe that God doesn’t care for us then we are far less likely to dedicate ourselves to running this spiritual race.
We need to be fully aware that through the gift of Jesus sacrifice on the cross we have already won the race. This is His gift of the assurance of his love. St. Paul knew this, but he knew that many, after accepting God, if they do not dedicate themselves to running the spiritual life like a race, develop spiritual leprosy, where they forget the truth about God and become numb to God.
After healing the leper, Jesus gave him these instructions: Mark 1:44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”
Naaman had to wash. The other leper had to show himself to the priest and offer sacrifices. Really neither one was instructed to do anything too hard. We also are “set free”, “cleansed” and assured of eternal life, but we too are urged to commit our lives to being joined to the “body of Christ”. We need to put certain things into place, such as regular prayer and Bible study and meetings with other Christians.
There is no hard and fast way to train for this race, but we need to work it out with God and stick to it. I suspect in the freedom that we have and choices, we actually neglect to do anything that resembles a Christian commitment.
If we fail to do this then over time we will become completely oblivious to the fact that we are numb to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and not only will we be ineffective witnesses but we will be maiming ourselves without realizing.... leaning on dangerous philosophies and breaking our lives with disastrous and false beliefs.
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