Saturday, February 13, 2021

Leprosy is a symbol of deadly sin.

"A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.”  Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” (Mark 1: 40 - 41).

Sunday 14th February 2021, in the 6th Week of Ordinary Time. Last Sunday before the holy Season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, 17th February.

Lent is all about Metanoia, Conversion. The Scripture Readings in this Sunday's Liturgy prepare our minds and hearts for a good Lent.

In the Gospel, our key Scripture, Jesus heals a leper by touching him and said: "I do will it. Be made clean.” Jesus wants to touch us too during the coming 40 Days of Lent.

The second Reading explains to us modern people the drastic consequences of leprosy on the unfortunate individual in the early Israelite history:
“The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:  45 - 46).

Leprosy is a symbol of Sin. Our Sins are invisible to our mortal eyes but not to God. Some saintly Confessors have the gift of seeing the state of one's soul. They describe some nasty sights that remind us of the man "full of leprosy."

"The Responsorial Psalm 32 encourages us to deal with sin with Confession:
"Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered.
Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile.

"Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not.
I said, “I confess my faults to the Lord,” and you took away the guilt of my sin." (Cf Psalm 32).

To have a good Lent, you need a good plan. To have a good plan, you need some time in prayer seeking light and guidance from the Holy Spirit. The reward of a good Lent is huge.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

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