January 15, 2026 -- Thursday of the 1st Week "B"
H O M I L Y
"A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: 'If you want to', he said, 'you can cure me'." -- In that short sentence, there are several elements that are worth considering with great attention.
First, the man is aware of his need for healing, which is the very first condition for asking for help and for receiving it. We are all wounded in many ways, first of all morally, by our sins, then perhaps also psychologically, emotionally or even physically, by the various accidents of life. The first step towards healing is to acknowledge our need of it.
"You can cure me", says the leper. This is his act of faith in Jesus. He acknowledges that Jesus has the power to heal. This is the second condition for healing to happen. With faith in Jesus everything is possible. Without that faith, nothing is possible.
"If you want". The man does not try to make pressure on Jesus. He knows that everything depends on His good will. Very often we do just the contrary. We want to manipulate God, we want to oblige Him to do according to our own will.
And while he says those few words the leper is on his knees pleading, which is the attitude of prayer.
And what is Jesus' reaction to such a pleading act of faith? Jesus was moved with compassion. The Greek word that is used by Mark means that "he was moved to his guts!". It is a word that is always used in the New Testament, to mean that Jesus (or his Father) is deeply moved to the bottom of his heart and soul by the needs or suffering of someone. Then Jesus performs the sacrament of healing.
A sacrament always includes two elements, a physical gesture and a word. Jesus never heals only through words. He touches the man with his hand. He touches someone who was untouchable, someone that nobody was allowed to approach, and he says : "Of course I want to". And by this combination of touching and word the man is healed.
Even if Jesus told him not to tell this to anyone, the man is so full of joy and thankfulness, that he goes everywhere preaching the good news of his healing. And Jesus does not reproach him.
How often has Jesus been touched by our misery? And how often has He touched us through his sacraments? And how often have we been cured of our sins and other illnesses? Did we go around telling everyone the goodness of God towards us?