FRIDAY OF THE TWELFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME JUNE 25, 2021

MASS READINGS:

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mt 8:1-4

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”

REFLECTION

“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”

Leprosy is caused by a slow growing bacteria. It affects the nerves, eyes, skin, vocal cords and the lining of the nose. It was felt to be a punishment of sin. It was odorous, and people could lose their fingers or parts of their body, and their voices would be raspy as the vocal cords were affected.

The leper was forced to live under the restrictions of the law, until the priest certified him as clean. He could not return to his home, family or friends. He had to live in an outside camp, wear torn clothes, loose hair, cover his upper lip and cry, " Unclean, Unclean!"

The process of offering a cleansing sacrifice to the priests was necessary for the leper to be able to return to a normal life. In Leviticus 14:1-4, the gift that Moses prescribed as an offered sacrifice for cleansing is stated with great detail. Those cleansed of leprosy were to make offerings to the priest. After the priest examined the leper outside of the camp and deemed him clean, he commanded the leper to bring two clean live birds, cedar wood, a thread of wool of a scarlet color and hyssop. Once the protocol was followed, the certificate of cleansing allowed the leper back into society.

With mercy Jesus healed the leper and with mercy he told him to complete the law for his freedom.

Sin, like leprosy, begins a slow growth in us. It slowly destroys us before others can see it. We may be unaware at the beginning that what we are thinking or doing is wrong. We become numb to our offenses, oblivious to how we appear before God, and gradually harm others justifying our evil deeds and our brokenness. To be cleansed of our sins, we must come to Jesus, aware of how our sins have hurt Him and with faith that He can save us, ask for forgiveness. We humbly repent and promise to obey His laws.

Jesus with mercy healed the leper. Jesus with mercy heals us . May we take advantage of all that the good Lord has done for us. Confession, with the absolution of our sins by Jesus through the hands of the priests, should cause us to sing with joy as our sins are forgiven and sing praises to God for the priests. (PAPA Prayer for Priests)

The Holy Spirit wants you to sing and cast out the evil spirits. When you sing in the Holy Spirit and praise Him personally, He will do for you the following: refresh you, make you well and cast out the evil spirits in you. (PAPA Top Secret I )

God Bless You