He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp. – Leviticus 13:46
Our healing theme from last week continues this week as Jesus heals a man with leprosy (Mark 1:40-45). This disease was so contagious that those who suffered from it were forced to live by themselves and endured social and religious exclusion. Our first reading from Sunday shows this clearly: “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” (Leviticus 13:46). Imagine the loneliness and poverty of this isolation.
God does not intend for us to be alone. We are meant for communion with God and one another. In fact, in the Creation account, God declares everything good until He points out that the man is alone and in need of a partner: “Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him’” (Genesis 2:18). This doesn’t just apply to marriage; all human hearts are made to give and receive love from God and others. We need each other to live and share the abundant life of Christ (John 10:10).
Jesus met this man in his loneliness, exclusion, illness, and woundedness. After Jesus healed the man with leprosy, Jesus ends up being the one forced outside of town: “The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere” (Mark 1:45). Jesus traded places with this man, taking on his exclusion even amidst the throng of people. What a merciful Savior we have!
This is calling me to consider who may be lonely or outcast that God has placed in my life. What can I do to “trade places” with this person in order to imitate Christ and bring this person His love? It also helps me give thanks for the work of the Church who seeks to bring together all of God’s people and help them form holy friendships through her ministries and works of mercy. What is God placing on your heart as you consider this?
My Jesus, there are times when I’ve been lonely, and times when I have been called to reach out to another in their loneliness. Wherever I am, Lord, You are with me. Help me to respond to the loneliness I see with care and compassion.