The healing story of the leper (Mark 1: 40-45)

The healing story of the leper in the Gospel according to St Mark (1: 40-45) displays in front of us two kinds of confinement, to which a third kind can easily be added. What confinements are we talking about?

1- A confinement to avoid infection, like the one imposed on the leprous man because of his illness, and which reminds us somewhat of the confinements we are repeatedly subjected to during this period of the corona virus. In ancient times, leprosy was considered a terrible disease whose visible signs in the patient's body caused fear and reluctance, especially because no treatment was available for this plague. For this same reason, the leper was expelled from his city and had to live in isolation so as not to infect other people. Our current experience with confinements helps us understand how prolonged physical confinements can cause feelings of loneliness, and even depression, although it is clear that the physical distance is not due to hatred or carelessness but to uncontrollable health reasons. Human beings cannot live without love, a felt love.

2- A more terrible confinement is the one into which the egoistic person closes himself. Selfishness is, to some extent, the root of all sins. A person who cares only for oneself, and puts oneself above all others, is capable of killing, stealing, committing adultery, lying, etc. in order to satisfy one own’s ego. Such a person lives in constant isolation, not so much because other people have imprisoned you, but because others have no place in your heart. This kind of confinement is the gate of hell. Jesus came, first and foremost, to break the gates of hell, and drag the sinners from the prison they locked themselves in.

3- The third kind of confinement is a positive one and there is a hint to it in the leper's healing story. After the act of healing, Marcus tells us that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town. He stayed outside in deserted places, but people kept coming to him. Indeed, many were those who flocked to Jesus because of the miracles he accomplished, but he moved away from them, and shied away from all cheap and noisy propaganda. Jesus didn’t want to steal the hearts of believers through miracles and signs, but rather to teach them the way to eternal life, that is a way of truth, humility, self-sacrifice and patience. Through the ages, many righteous people chose to flee to the wilderness, following Jesus steps, in order to be alone with God and dedicate their lives to Him; and the more they took a distance, the more people flocked to them. This is the positive confinement: He who gives up the vain temptations and isolates himself in order to be with God, people will be attracted to him and seek him in order to find life and blessing. 

May we take profit of these times of confinement to get closer to God, (re)discover His silent Presence in our lives, and become a source of peace and consolation in our suffering world.