I am willing; be cleansed

 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.

Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.

- Mark 1:29-45

Yesterday we read that after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the gospel."  And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.  Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men."  They immediately left their nets and followed Him.  When He had gone a little further from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets.  And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him.  Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.  And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.  Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit.  And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone!  What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?  Did you come to destroy us?  I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!"  But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!"  And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.  Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this?  What new doctrine is this?  For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him."  And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.

Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once.  So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.  And she served them.  At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed.  And the whole city was gathered together at the door.  Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.  Although Mark's Gospel is brief, and runs through the events of Jesus' ministry very quickly, here we are given a day in the life of this ministry.  Jesus first speaks in the synagogue, and then comes to His "headquarters" at Peter's family home.  The details we're given tell us about Peter's extended family, what kind of home this is in which He  stays and welcomes those coming to Him.  Peter's mother-in-law is a person honored here; she is restored to her place in the home by Christ.  My study bible notes that not allowing the demons to speak is an important piece of this ministry.  For Christ to reveal Himself as Messiah will be a long process of teaching just what this means, contrary to popular expectations of a political messiah.  Through misunderstandings, conflict with the authorities, and Christ's desire for true faith, His ministry will teach His identity.

 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.  And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him.  When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You."  But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth."  And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.   My study bible says that Jesus sets forth here an example for all of us of spiritual life.  Although He is God incarnate, He prayed continually, often finding a solitary place to be free from distraction, despite the multitude's need of Him.  The ministry of Christ comes from His communication with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and it flows to people in their needs.  He prays in the morning, teaching us that we put first as priority our commitment to God; then we'll be equipped to serve others.  We note in His instructions to the disciples an unswerving course from what He is meant to do, regardless of demands around Him.

Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed."  As soon as He had spoken immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.  And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."  However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.  Leviticus 13 and 14 contain the biblical law concerning leprosy;  Deuteronomy 24:8 describes the purification of lepers and leprous houses as a duty entrusted to the priests.  Lepers were not permitted to live in the community or worship in synagogues or the temple; they were considered unclean.  Leviticus 7:21 forbids touching the unclean.  Here Jesus touches the leper, showing His compassion.  My study bible says, "To the clean, nothing is unclean."  

Healing becomes an immediate sign of Jesus' ministry and work.  First He preaches, we see the effect of His presence on the unclean demons, and then He goes to Peter's house, where Peter's mother-in-law is sick with fever.  Healing becomes a metaphor for salvation, in the sense that what Christ is here to offer us is actually healing on all levels.  That is, spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally.  All of the orientation toward Christ and this Kingdom He brings in His presence is meant to evoke a radical healing on all levels and of all sorts.  That He will give His flesh for the life of the world is a promise of every level, and in all ways (John 6:51).   That this mission is for the life of the world we may also see in Jesus' use of the solitary place to which He withdraws for prayer, presumably far from the town.  Away from the town, this is likely the wilderness, an environment in which Jesus has already faced temptation, to which He now goes to be in depth of communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit.  (We may also contrast this with the evidence of the unclean spirit in yesterday's reading, which made itself known in the synagogue.)   There is no place exempt from the presence of Christ and this healing ministry, the work of God.  In the leper we can see a radical level of healing, for leprosy was viewed not simply as a dread disease, but also as a sign of sin, and of uncleanness in the eyes of the Law.  Christ's touch is a depth of personal "communion" that also teaches us about the healing nature of this presence and our own communion with it, a radical redesigning of the Law but with the ultimate purpose and goal of the Law in mind.  That is, a healing and orientation of the community toward God and thus its true good.  As in the context of the story of the leper, this would include cleansing us of whatever ails, oppresses, causes pain or loss, any kind of limitation of life.  That is the true nature of a process of repentance, metanoia.  Viewed in each dimension expressed in today's reading, the Gospel becomes a wholistic vision of the facets in which we all need to be healed, whatever the problem we face in the world.  What limits life?  What makes us unable to take our rightful places in life?  Peter's mother-in-law is restored in her home; the leper is restored in the community.  Alongside all of this is mystery.  Jesus' withdrawal away from the people for prayer is also an image of mystery, of the "withdrawing" of God.  It is a paradoxical understanding that it is with the mystery of God that we find God's presence -- that without that withdrawal, the clear understanding of the real nature of Messiah, and of salvation, could not become properly known.  In the life of the Church, mystery remains paramount for our own sense of communion, of prayer, and of participation in the life of the kingdom of God.  This is the scope of the healing nature of God, from the worldly and all that is in it, to the divine and its mysteries.  With Christ, we may share ("participate") in all of it, for the life in abundance that He promised.