The Helper of the Leper
Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46; Psalm 32; 1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1; Mark 1:40–45
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
Jesus cures a leper in today’s gospel passage. In the Biblical sense, leprosy was described as a swelling of the skin with a crust and a whitish patch, whose severity might have been evaluated by the depth of the affected skin. We have the description of the disease, as well as the regulations connected with it, in the first reading of Lev. 13:1-2; 44–46. You can also find it in Numb. 12:10–15. The disease was so highly contagious that the regulation demands that every leper be isolated. In our isolated state, the helper is always with us. But what do we do in our isolation?
Spiritual leprosy: Today, apart from a few centers, we rarely see cases of leprosy; we have cases of spiritual leprosy everywhere. Like physical leprosy, spiritual leprosy is a progressive loss of feeling that takes place not in our nerves but in our sensitivity to the Spirit and to its promptings. Physical leprosy leaves the leper horrible, disfigured, and mutilated. In the same vein, spiritual leprosy leaves us horrible, disfigured, and mutilated. Sin, in truth, mutilates our spiritual beauty and corrupts our communion with man and God. Just as the leper asked for cleansing, every sinner needs to kneel before Jesus and ask for cleansing. The Helper is always willing to cleanse our leprosy.
The contagious nature: Just as leprosy is contagious, sin is also contagious. It spreads trends and corrupts all who are not spiritually watchful and careful. Many ills are trending today, ranging from prostitution, insecurity, and suicide to the ramparts of Yahoo games and rituals. Like contagious leprosy, these immoral diseases are very contagious. On campus, life is something else. Often times, when youth are gathered, they are concerned with how best to fake it before they make it, either through online frauds or rituals. The helper of the leper wants us to spread his help wherever we go. Let help, love, and care trend.
Compassion: The Helper of the leper is compassionate. No true help exists without compassion. We must care before we can cure. In Jesus, we see genuine love and care. The gospel says, “Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him.” Touch is central to nursing and health care workers; frequently, they touch their patients in their interactions with them. Biblically, to touch is to care. Jesus cured many diseases through love and care. We, too, can cure the diseases of loneliness and despair by showing love and care. Many people are dying out there for love. They need reassurance about life. Many children lack the touch of parents and relatives, and many fear to live because they are not cared for. Many, like lepers, now live in isolation because no one really cares about them. Jesus wants us to touch someone today. Precisely because of this, St. Paul in the second reading calls us to be imitators of him as he is in Christ. Let us imitate Christ’s pattern of love and care.
Accessibility: The Helper of the Leper is accessible. The leper boldly approaches him, highlighting the accessibility of Jesus to all who seek him, regardless of their condition or social status. The leper found Jesus Christ, the Helper. Anyone without the helper dies a leper. Beloved, seek Jesus; he is accessible. The Station of the Cross says, “Seek me not in faraway places; “I am very close to you.” Why do you wander around for Jesus? He is close to you in the Scriptures and in the Holy Eucharist.
Messianic secret: Going further, Jesus told the leper, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go show yourself to the priest.” He wanted the man to keep his healing a secret. This is a major theme in Mark’s gospel called the “Messianic Secret.” In Mark 1:25, he said to the demon to be silent; in Mark 1:34, he did not let the demon speak; in Mark 1:44, he said to the leper to say nothing to anyone; in Mark 3:12, he warned them sternly not to tell anyone who he was; and in Mark 5:43, when he brought Jairus’s daughter back to life, he ordered them not to let anyone know about it. o the Messianic secret is a major theme in Mark, and it refers to the silence that Jesus commands about his Messianic mission.
The Messianic Secret is necessitated by the fact that “Jesus was wary of being proclaimed as “Messiah” merely on the basis of the miracles he worked. He does not want his primary purpose to be distracted. If we don’t shun praises and exaggerations, people will alter our purpose or mission based on their cravings. The common understanding of the Messiah in his time was that of a wonder-worker and political librator. Jesus does not want to be misunderstood in this way. Hence, he asks people to refrain from publicizing his miracles and exorcisms. His Messiahship is related to the cross and suffering.” (Comm. on Mark 1:40–45, Catholic Community Bible). The Helper of the Leper is not looking for fame. Most people today who are helping want to trend with the help they render.
The Jews wanted someone who would free them from Roman rule and set up a political kingdom. But Jesus is the suffering Messiah who came to serve and to die. He came to set up a spiritual kingdom, not a political kingdom. In fact, because this title was so misunderstood, Jesus had to substitute for other titles such as “Son of Man,” “Son of David,” and “Son of God.” Thus, Jesus wanted them to be silent so that they wouldn’t misinform people about him. We must learn to be silent too, so that we don’t misinform people or give the wrong impression about them.
