February 12, 2012

Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time:  Lv 13:1-2, 44-46; 1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45

Throughout its history, leprosy has been feared and misunderstood. For a long time leprosy was thought to be a hereditary disease, a curse, or a punishment from God. Before and even after the discovery of its biological cause, leprosy patients were stigmatized and shunned. For example, in Europe during the Middle Ages, leprosy sufferers had to wear special clothing, ring bells to warn others that they were close, and even walk on a particular side of the road, depending on the direction of the wind. In Israel at the time of Jesus, lepers were considered dead to their families and the community and sent away as outcasts.  Today's first reading states the Law of Moses, "The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!' As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp." Today we understand Leprosy as a disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae which causes damage to the skin, the peripheral nervous system which results in skin lesions and deformities, but in the ancient world this was a horrendous disease. 

This makes it more remarkable that at the beginning of Jesus' mission, a man infested with leprosy had the courage to approach Him.  Jesus for His part is moved with pity and without fear reaches out and touches the Leper.   He could have just as easily cured him from a distance, but He put Himself in danger of contracting the disease and being ostracized himself for touching one who was unclean. 

One of our newer saints, Fr. Damien of Molokai, was a Sacred Heart priest who was sent as a missionary from Belgium to the kingdom of Hawaii.  He volunteered to assist at a leper colony set up on the Island of Molokai where he built homes, beds, coffins and dug graves.  He wrote to his brother, "I make myself a leper with the lepers to gain all to Jesus Christ."  Eventually his words would become reality as he contracted the disease himself.  One day, speaking at Mass he addressed the people, "We lepers..." He continued to serve the people to his best until he died on April 15, 1889. 

The story of the Leper begging for Jesus' help and Jesus stretching out his hand is ideal for the kickoff of our Annual Catholic Appeal, "Together in Mission."  Today we are reminded by Archbishop Jose Gomez and the Church of Los Angeles that we are part of a larger family.  It is very easy, living on this peninsula, to begin to believe that we live on an island and there is no one existing beyond our little world. It is very easy for each of us to become absorbed with our own problems affecting our own lives.  The gift of our faith reminds us that we have a God who so loved us that He sent His only Son to be a part of our troubled world in all its brokenness.  Just as Jesus reached out to the leper in today's Gospel, He has reached out to us many times in our own hurts and pains and given us true healing of body and soul.

Just as Jesus became one with the man suffering leprosy, I am asking you to become one with the needs of those parishes and schools in the archdiocese who are crying out for our assistance.  I personally have been stationed in different parishes that have been directly assisted by this Annual Appeal.  When I was in residence in South Los Angeles at St. Michael Parish, we would not have been able to literally put food on the table without the assistance of "Together in Mission."  The Church had gone without repairs for years, the roof in the rectory was leaking and we had virtually no parish staff.  Yet, there was a parish community full of joy and life that still remains as one of the great inspirations of my priesthood.  Assumption Elementary School where I served as an Associate Pastor also received assistance from the Annual Appeal, providing hope for children being raised in the gang infested community of Boyle Heights.  

The "Together in Mission" Annual Appeal is not a special collection.  We are invited to be imitators of Christ who brought us true healing.  I am asking you again to make a personal pledge of how much you are willing to commit to the sharing in the mission of our Church and to either pay it at one time or throughout the course of this coming year.   Our Parish Goal for 2012 is $90,876.44.  Last year we were able to meet and surpass our goal, but in previous years we have fallen short.  As a parish community we are responsible for reaching our goal either through pledges or through our own parish income.  We are each called to commit ourselves.

Jesus' reaching out to heal the leper came with a cost.  He was no longer able to remain in the towns because of the crowds.  He Himself became like a leper living in deserted places.  Jesus also paid a price for coming to this world to heal us from our sins.  In the end, He was rejected, tortured and crucified, suffering for us.  The Church today is asking you in your own way to share in the work of Christ not by throwing some loose change in an envelope, but by truly committing yourself to the mission of the Christ and His Church.    

• There will be no Church History Class tomorrow, Monday, Feb.13th. The class will resume next Monday, Feb. 20 at 7pm and we will be covering the 10th Century. All are welcomed.

God bless,

Father John Provenza

Pastor