I spent most of Sunday resting and getting better. Went to church Sunday evening and the first reading and the gospel of the mass were very interesting.
In the first reading, from Leviticus in the Old Testament, talked about identifying people with skin diseases, especially leprosy, and how those people were removed to the outer fringes of society.
"He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean; he shall dwell alone in a habitation outside the camp."
It's important to remember that people believed that such diseases were caused by sin, either their own or their parents'.
Then, in the Gospel of Mark, we hear how Jesus healed a leper. This healing has dual meaning. The first is that he healed him of his wounds. The second is that he healed him, or forgave him, of his sins, for they believed such diseases were the result of sin.
It's also a symbol of sin in our lives. As long as we are unclean, we are unable to reside in the community of God. But, through Jesus, if we are cleaned of our sin, we are able to live in God's presence.
The bible sometimes has really cool stuff in it, don't you think?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
3 comments:
how right you are. I especially enjoy the Acts of the Apostles. Like reading about the early church. A particularly interesting story is when Peter sees the vision of a blanket with all kinds of food and animals which were forbidden in the jewish religion. And in the vision God reveals that nothing He makes is unclean. Shortly after that Peter goes to Cornelius' house and ENTERS IT. Another forbidden rule 'cause Cornelius was a Gentile. To Peter's surprise, the Holy Spirit decends upon Cornelius and his family and slaves!
I love how God works. He takes every thing that Peter had come to know and learn and turned it upside down on him. And He gently led him with a vision first. How wonderful for God to select Peter and he personality to promote the faith! Remember how often Peter challenged Christ or stuck his neck out on issues! He was a risk taker and that is what the early church needed. Wonder how far the Church would have progressed if Peter rejected the vision as nonsense and had not entered into Cornelius' house! Very cool sequence of events.
That's interesting. I don't remember that story in Acts. I'll have to look it up.
Here you go:
Acts 10: 1-28
Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Cohort called the Italica devout and God-fearing along with his whole household, who used to give alms generously 3 to the Jewish people and pray to God constantly. One afternoon about three o'clock, 4 he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say to him, "Cornelius." He looked intently at him and, seized with fear, said, "What is it, sir?" He said to him, "Your prayers and almsgiving have ascended as a memorial offering before God. Now send some men to Joppa and summon one Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with another Simon, a tanner, who has a house by the sea." When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier 5 from his staff, explained everything to them, and sent them to Joppa.
The next day, while they were on their way and nearing the city, Peter went up to the roof terrace to pray at about noontime. He was hungry and wished to eat, and while they were making preparations he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something resembling a large sheet coming down, lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all the earth's four-legged animals and reptiles and the birds of the sky. A voice said to him, "Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat." But Peter said, "Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean." The voice spoke to him again, a second time, "What God has made clean, you are not to call profane." This happened three times, and then the object was taken up into the sky.
While Peter was in doubt about the meaning of the vision he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius asked for Simon's house and arrived at the entrance. They called out inquiring whether Simon, who is called Peter, was staying there. As Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said (to him), "There are three men here looking for you. So get up, go downstairs, and accompany them without hesitation, because I have sent them." Then Peter went down to the men and said, "I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your being here?" They answered, "Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear what you have to say."
So he invited them in and showed them hospitality. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa went with him. On the following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and, falling at his feet, paid him homage. Peter, however, raised him up, saying, "Get up. I myself am also a human being." While he conversed with him, he went in and found many people gathered together and said to them, "You know that it is unlawful for a Jewish man to associate with, or visit, a Gentile, but God has shown me that I should not call any person profane or unclean.
Post a Comment