SERMON/HOMILY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B 11TH FEBRUARY 2024

SERMON/HOMILY FOR THE SIXTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B 11TH FEBRUARY 2024

Lev.13:1-2, 44-46; Ps.32; 1Cor.10:31-11:1; Mark 1:40-45

“ _a great prophet has arisen among us…God has visited his people_ ” (Lk.7:16)

What sin has caused versus what God has done

Using the symbol of leprosy, the readings of today, especially the first and the gospel readings seek to enlighten us to appreciate God’s work of salvation. God’s saving humanity is something that cannot be over emphasized. To better understand and appreciate salvation, the readings first expose to us the effects of sin. If we do not understand what sin does to us, we will not be able to best appreciate how important salvation is to us. In the first reading, leprosy was clearly seen as a sign of uncleanliness. A leper was one who has sinned. The eruption of leprosy on the skin on the person was an indication that even when we sin secretly, we cannot evade the consequences of sin. See, no one sins and gets away with it. The sin committed may have been physical but the uncleanliness that follows, is something spiritual. Therefore, we dare not presume that our actions, thoughts and omissions have no bearing in our standing with God. You cannot commit sin and remain clean; you cannot sin and not be noticed/caught by God; you cannot sin and live as though nothing happened; you cannot sin and remain normal.

Furthermore, the uncleanliness that is evidenced in leprosy is always as a result of personal sin. This teaches us that we do not become unclean as a result of what others have done but as a result of our personal actions and inactions. If at all we share in the sins of others it means that we personally contributed or assisted in committing the sin in one way or the other. In that case, personal involvement is there. We will also be responsible for those sins that we never helped another in committing but we failed to do our best in correcting discouraging the sinner. Otherwise, we will not become unclean for what another has done; neither will another become unclean as a result of what we have done. It is very important we take this to heart! There are times when people try to revenge the wrong done to them and feel justified thereafter. For example, some persons justify internet fraud on the ground that those from whom they steal have first stolen from us in the past. See, there will never be a good reason for committing sin such that we escape being unclean. Two wrongs can never make a right!

The first reading noted that the leprous shall wear torn clothes and let his hair hang loose. The leper shall become tattered and unkept. This is exactly what sin does to us. Sin leaves us naked spiritually and brings shame upon us. No matter how hard we try to fight and defend it, we cannot evade the guilt of shame that comes with sin. Even when no one may have noticed, we feel some level of sadness. From the first reading, the leper must go about announcing that he is unclean so that people are notified to keep away from him. He can no longer participate in the communal life of the people, so long as the leprosy remains. This is so that he does not affect another with the communicable disease. Even today, sin remains communicable. In a bid to practice the spiritual works of mercy of converting sinners, we must tread with care. Two days ago, we saw how the downfall of Solomon was occasioned by his marriage with foreign wives. You cannot justify a bad company with the excuse of trying to convert them. Yes, Jesus associated with sinners but they became part of his company only after they have accept conversion.

From the entire narrative of the first reading, no mention was made of healing of the leprous. This is because no remedy was known. The leper becomes one in a helpless situation whose hope of healing is left to chance. The point is, the sinner is in a state of helplessness. No one can heal the sinfulness of the sinner except Jesus himself. So, what Jesus does for us in terms of salvation, is something that no one else is able to do for us. Apart from Jesus, there is no other means of salvation. If Jesus is not the one saving us, then we are not being saved at all. Our access to salvation begins with our realization of our need of Jesus.

The leper in the today’s gospel reading came to this realization when he approached Jesus and begged him to heal him. The leper did not come to Jesus complaining of how long and severe he has suffered. He did not even pretend not to have sinned to warrant the disease. He simply came to beg for healing. This is a sign of perfect contrition for sin committed. You are not truly sorry until you have completely accepted your fault. The leper is not in doubt as to Jesus’ ability to heal him. He did not say: “if you can” but “if you will”. Beloved, we do not come to Jesus as one of our options but as our only hope. God gives his gifts with the lesson that only Him has the capacity to give such gifts. Yet, God is compassionate and will not delay in showing mercy. When people have what is needed by others but not available elsewhere, they begin to put in stringent and unnecessary measures. God is not like that. The psalmist testifies that the Lord is a hiding place for the sinner, surrounding us with cries of deliverance. Only God can save us; but he does not make our salvation something difficult to attain.

After healing the leper, Jesus instructed him to go show himself to the priest and offer what is required for his cleansing. This means that Jesus emphasized the need to remain obedient to the law. It was very possible for the leper to henceforth jettison the law since the law could not heal him but only prescribe measures for his ostracization. He could have perceived Jesus as something above the law. This would have been a total misunderstanding of what Jesus had done for him. Beloved, the grace of God is not for lawlessness. Sometimes when God gifts us, we begin to make trouble with those whom we think could help us but did not. We want to mock them that we have moved on without them. I don’t think God is proud of such behaviour. Maybe that’s part of what Jesus was trying to avoid when he said to the healed man: “see that you say nothing to anyone…”

Beloved, our point of action today in the contained in the second reading. God has and continues to save us. Like St. Paul, let us go out there working out the salvation of others by bringing them to Jesus. St Paul says: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ”. This means that our way of lives should be the primary “invitation card” we give to others to come to Jesus. If we are not inviting others to Jesus through our way of life, we won’t succeed either with our preaching or other means. But remember, the unsaved cannot give this “invitation card”.