The first reflection is offered is Elizabeth Ann Walsh. She writes:

Today's readings act as a guide on a journey that helps us deal with our woundedness. If we substitute the word "wounds" for unclean, they become far more meaningful. Just as the leper in Leviticus had to declare himself unclean, and remain separate from those he loved and needed, so too do our woundedness, our human struggles and failings, keep us apart from others when we refuse to acknowledge our pain, to descend into our root cellars where we can meet, name and then befriend the dragons kept hidden below and within the very core of our being.

Imagine a gently breeze, a ray of light filtering into this cobwebbed cellar. The dragon and the child stand face to face in the light of Christ.

How do we know this encounter need never be feared, only welcomed? How do we know this Jesus will not condemn us with words reminiscent of the past: not good enough, inadequate, failure( unclean)? If we just stand by the side of the road, and imagine this Jesus, tired and wary from the day's heat and work, approaching us, coming face to face with us-seeing our suffering, struggle, pain, fear. His face is "moved with pity." He stretches out his hand and touches us! This Jesus is not afraid of our woundedness. He responds out of his humanity, his compassion. He too knows loneliness, rejection, the hunger and thirst of all human emotions. And he wills our wholeness.

The choice remains ours. As long as we hold onto our woundedness, we remain emotional and spiritual lepers, denying ourselves and others the light of Christ within and through us. Once we befriend our innermost dragons, we discover Christ within us-a Christ who rejoices that we have come to him as we are, seeking his cure for our health, our wholeness.

Reflection Questions

Do we have a secret wound/hurt that we are hiding and that we do not want anyone, including ourselves to see? If not, give thanks and pray for those who do have one. If we are carrying a secret wound can we take time to examine what blocks us from looking at this wound? What blocks us from seeing that bringing our secret wound into the light of day we can bring about a huge healing into our lives? If carrying a secret wound/hurt can we at least pray for the grace to bring it out into the light of day?

WHAT TODAY'S GOSPEL STORY TELLS US ABOUT THE HUMANITY OF JESUS.

The following reflection is by Redemptorist priest, Dennis McBride. He writes:

Sometimes we communicate what we mean not so much by what we say as by how we say it. We've all had the experience of someone saying good morning to us in a tone calculated to wither a cactus. When the leper in today's Gospel says to Jesus "If you want to you can cure me", what is the tone of his question? Is he saying: "Go ahead, you can do it. All you have to do is marshal your resources. Don't worry, you can cure me."

Or is the leper taunting Jesus: "If you want to, you can cure me." The if is in front of the want, not the cure. The leper does not doubt Jesus' power to cure, he doubts his good will. He questions whether Jesus wants to cure him. Has the leper been a religious and social outcast for so long that he doubts whether anyone has the will to bother with him?

When people question our good intentions we tend to get flustered. How does Jesus react to the leper? The translation we read says that Jesus feels sorry for him, but many of the early Greek manuscripts say that Jesus fumed! The New English Bible tries to compromise and says that Jesus reacted with "warm indignation". Jesus protests when he ways "Of course I want to! Be cured!" Then he sternly orders the man to say nothing to anyone. Jesus tells this man to keep his mouth shut, but he broadcasts the story. And while the cured man now moves around freely, Jesus hides in places where nobody lives. Somehow, they seem to have changed places.

Mark's Portrait of Jesus

This brief encounter between Jesus and the leper, with its strained exchanges and emotions, gives us a fascinating insight into the ministry of Jesus. It gives us the opportunity to ask ourselves: what kind of Jesus emerges from Mark's portrait? Mark, the author of the first Gospel, is well known for presenting a very human Jesus. In his Gospel Jesus demonstrates human feelings and strong emotions; he is critical, angry, impatient, fearful. This portrait prompts questions about our own understanding of Jesus.

What image of Jesus is presented to us in his encounter with the leper? Can we see Jesus' frustration when the leper seems to doubt if Jesus really wants to heal him ("If you wish you can make me clean").

Does his anger show when the people he tries to help question his good intentions?

Does he ever become tired when people treat him like a magic wonder-worker, a mobile relic, without accepting his teaching that no amount of healing is going to exempt people from suffering and brokenness?

Does the pressure ever become so intense that he makes for somewhere that has no addresses, because no one lives there?

Do professional healers need time off?

Reflection Questions

How human is our Jesus? Can we image him as having most, if not all, of the emotions we experience? Or do we tend to think that many of our thoughts and feelings would be foreign to Jesus? Can we see how our answers to the above questions can really impact the way we relate to Jesus?

Reflection on the Second Reading

Unfortunately, we homilists and columnists all too often ignore the second reading. The first reading is chosen to harmonize with the main theme of the Gospel. Today the connection is obvious, but the connection is sometimes not at all clear. Our second reading was not chosen to harmonize with the first reading or gospel. Its message stands on its own. Since most homilists preach on the gospel, the message of the second reading is usually ignored and this is unfortunate because often it is very beautiful and rich. The following reflections by Fr. Albert Cylwicki, brings beautifully out the message of the second reading.

There is a story told about an old man who ran the engines on a tugboat. The engines were kept spotlessly clean. The man took immense pride in his work, his face beamed with a radiant glow. When asked about his shining engines and the beam in his expression he answered, "Well, it's this-a-way. I've got a glory."

If only more of us would learn from the tugboat man and Paul, we would avoid many of today's problems. Too many of us are not enjoying or finding satisfaction in what we do. We hear surveys about students being bored with school, workers find their jobs dull and housewives suffering from depression.

The causes for these problems are many and complex. But one of the causes may be that we are not doing what we do for the glory of God. If we did, then many other things would fall easily into place. Take our work, for example. If we did our work for the glory of God, then we would take pride in our performance, take good care of our equipment, be fully informed about procedures, show a genuine interest in our co-workers.

We might ask, "How can a person get enthused over a task that is routine and repetitious? How can a factory worker putting in the same part, or a mother ironing clothes make their work enjoyable?" Some answers are given by Prof. Csikszentmihalyi of the University of Chicago in his book Beyond Boredom and Anxiety.

He believes that it is necessary to change the attitude of workers and to change the nature of their boring job. He points out how workers can play mental games, try new strategies and establish their own standards. He proposes that employers redesign jobs, shift workers around to different tasks and allow employees to make some minor decisions.

Take our meals, for example. If we ate and drank for the glory of God, then we would eat nourishing food instead of junk food, consume a sensible amount instead of stuffing ourselves, and make conversations pleasant instead of upsetting.

Like the tugboat man, we too can have a glory about whatever we do, if we do it for the glory of God. Praise God for his gifts, thank him for his blessings, and glorify him for his favors.

Reflection Questions: To what extent do you do what you do for the glory of God? If not a lot, what are steps you can take to move in this direction?