I WILL, BE CLEAN VS I WILL BE CLEAN
(Mark 1:40-45)
The two statements above have the
same words, but the punctuation made a whole lot of difference. The one with
comma are the 'ipsisima verba'; the words of Jesus Christ to the leper.
The other one without comma
should be the reaction or the response of the leper and, of course, each and
everyone of us to the call to holiness and cleanliness by Christ.
I WILL, BE CLEAN
Jesus in today's gospel reading
announced his will for us. His will for
us is that we be clean. Hence, He told the leper: "I Will, be
clean". This was necessitated by
the call made by the leper who knelt begging to be made clean. He said to
Jesus: "If you will, you can make me clean" Jesus wills our
wellbeing, our cleanliness, our holiness, our purity. He means well for us. He
is moved with pity towards us. He opens his hands to receive us. He gives us his holiness to take from us our
sinfulness. That explains why He stretched out His hand and touched the man. It
was a lovely touch. It was a therapeutic touch. It was a transforming touch. It
was a touch that takes one to the best state. It was a reinstating touch; one
that takes the person to the desired position God planned for Him.
Jesus says to you. I will, be
clean. Endeavour to be clean. Make sure you have the same mind and heart with
Christ. Depart from that pitiable state and embrace the state of Grace. To do
this, address yourself.
I WILL BE CLEAN
This is a statement made in
conviction. This is a statement made by a person to himself. This is a
soliloquy.
This man must have been tired of
living in leprosy. He must be tired of the embarrassing state of being
ostracised from His people. He must be ashamed of carrying bells around and
shouting: I am unclean, I am unclean. Thus, he says in faith. I will be clean.
I will be clean if... I will be clean if He wills. I want to be clean. I want
to be good. I want to commune and communicate with my people, with God.
Another way of seeing this is as
a surprise. The man must have been shocked when Jesus told Him that He was
going to be clean. Will it be that easy? How will it happen?
Some of us have become so stained
with sin that we no longer believe that Christ can simply make us clean by His
precious blood. We ask in surprise: Will I be made clean? Jesus replies
immediately: Yes! I will, be clean.
"I will be clean" at
the third perspective should as well be our determination to remain clean.
Seeing how much God loves us, how compassionate He is towards us, how
determined He is to heal us, we should talk to ourselves and ensure we don't
get contaminated again. Say those words over and over again and let the powers
and forces leading you into the dustbin of sin hear that you have chosen light
against darkness.
HOW CLEAN ARE YOU?
Like the leprous man today we
should be concerned about the level of our cleanliness in the sight of God. How
clean is your heart? How holy are you? How pure are you? How clean is your
intention towards your neighbour? How
good is your love for that person you call your friend? Are you far from God?
Are you driving people of goodwill away from your life by your offensive
behaviours?
THE REMEDY FOR UNCLEANESS
Call for help. Realize that you
need help. Desire to be clean. Don't enjoy sin. Stop allowing yourself to be
held down by your weakness. Don't be tired to bath. Don't allow cold make you
afraid of being washed. Stop rolling yourself over and over in ruins.
Go for confession. Pay attention
to the word of God and follow it to the latter. Prove to everyone around you
that you stand for cleanness and be proud of it.
Pray against the filthy forces
dragging your spiritual life to the mud. As Jesus assures you: I will, be clean
make sure you reaffirm in return: I will be clean.
LET US PRAY
Thank you, God, for willing that
we be clean and for availing us of the opportunity to be made clean by your
word and the Sacraments. Give us your holy hands and take our unclean hands.
Make us clean in and out through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Happy Sunday
Have a Clean Val.
(6th Sunday, Ordinary Time, Yr B)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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