Think about what is seen

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today are tied, at one level, to understanding the effect on the outcast of a miraculous healing and return to the community as is presented in the passage from the Gospel of Mark. The psalmist praises God for the joy of forgiveness which was often tied to healing. The transgression of the Law which was thought to have caused the disease must have been forgiven when the person was healed.  The light of the letter of Paul to the Corinthians asks disciples of Christ to be aware of the witness they give to others, both intentionally and unintentionally. Modern western society is very aware of individual "rights". Paul asks us to consider how our actions are seen by others. We can argue for a right to eat what we want when we want, drink what we want, when we want and wear what we want, when we want but our focus should be on the possibility of being seen as scandalous by others. The attitude of trying to bring no offense trumps the "right to do this". Friar Jude Winkler advises that we approach the Gospel of Mark by being aware of the construction of the work. Mark has placed the episodes from the life of Jesus in a sequence. The healing of the leper in the passage today causes the priests to be witness to the authority of Jesus which they are intent to criticize in the passage following the reading today. Even when our eyes and ears are witness, we refuse or are unable see the deeper meaning of significance our observations. Our caution to avoid the scandalous misinterpretation of our behaviour by others is wise.