Gospel: Mark 1:40-45

40 A man suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to him and pleaded on his knees saying, ‘If you are willing, you can cleanse me.’

41 Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said to him, ‘I am willing. Be cleansed.’

42 And at once the skin-disease left him and he was cleansed.

43 And at once Jesus sternly sent him away and said to him,

44 ‘Mind you tell no one anything, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing prescribed by Moses as evidence to them.’

45 The man went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places. Even so, people from all around kept coming to him.

Reflection:

Our gospel for today has so much to tell us. The sick man symbolizes us people, the sickness are our sins that we carry. We are truly sick and sinful because from the moment we are born in this world, we already inherited the sins of our first parents. Adding to that are the sins we committed as we live our lives here in this world.

The urge to touch Jesus symbolizes our great faith to Him. Even though we are sinners, we still has a little space within us that tells us to return to Him, and ask for forgiveness. At once when the man was touched by Jesus, the disease left Him. It tells exactly what will happen if we also abandon our sins and instead, ask for another chance to straighten up our wrong deeds.

Another point in our gospel is when Jesus told the man to go to the priest and make an offering and not tell anybody, the man instead went off to openly proclaim that he was healed and in that way Jesus were flocked by people. This just picture out that we people is most of the time disobedient. Somehow, it will take us another realization to ask for penance and reconciliation from up above.

I am a sinner, you are a sinner, and we are all sinners. We sin but it doesn’t mean we will forever be sinners. It is up to us to make amendments of ourselves and take actions because we surely know what is right and what is wrong. We will not forget to offer ourselves to the service of God through our fellowmen.

As today is the feast day of St. Valentine of Rome, we will also remember him as the patron saint for the epilepsy and those who have diseases. Today is a day to give love not only to our family and loved ones but to everybody. Happy church day and happy Valentine ’s Day! – Clea | Helpline PH