11 January, 2024 |Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Reading: 1 Sm 4:1-11 

Gospel Mk 1:40-45

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 the leper, and said to him, 

“I do will it. Be made clean.”

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,

but go, show yourself to the priest

and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;

that will be proof for them.”

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

He spread the report abroad

so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.

He remained outside in deserted places,

and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Reflections: 

The man with leprosy approached Jesus with humility and desperation, recognizing Jesus' ability to heal him. This is an invitation for us to approach Jesus with an attitude of humility, acknowledging our need for his healing and transformation in our lives. Jesus was not only willing but also compassionate towards the man. Despite the societal stigma and fear associated with leprosy, Jesus reached out and touched him. This demonstrates Jesus' boundless love and his desire to heal and restore life in fullness. Just as Jesus reached out to the marginalized, reflect on your own journey -- how   you have shown compassion and understanding to those around you.

Activity: 

Approach Jesus with humility and faith, obey his teachings, and live in a manner that reflects his love and power, drawing others to him.