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6th SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY
Today’s first and gospel lessons are
in conversation! In the first lesson a socially important person who bears the marks
of a marginalizing disease seeks relief from the God of Israel; in the gospel story, a
leper approaches Jesus with the same kind of yearning—wholeness and skin-cleansing.
Both are isolated by their illness, both carry a stigma, both seek a way out of
their dilemma, and both walk away with wholeness. In the second lesson Paul speaks
to Christian discipline and focus.
2 Kings 5:1-14—Seven Ducks in the Jordan
Tucked
into the miracle files of Elisha is this intriguing story of Naaman the military commander
of Israel’s arch enemy, Syria. The story is a surprise because God’s
covenantal blessings were thought to be confined to the covenantal community, but
surprise! Even an arch enemy experiences Yahweh’s healing benevolence.
The story twists and turns with humor and more surprises as the military
commander appears before Israel’s leadership. “A rotten excuse to attack
us!” fumes the Israelite king. “The Jordan? You’ve got to be
kidding—I wouldn’t even wash my socks in that filthy stream!” retorts
Naaman. Yet in the end all come to the discovery of gracious and able God who saves
all who call upon God’s name.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27—Train Hard and Run with Focus
Paul ends his powerful discussion on the church-planting life with athletic images
intended to inspire and motivate his listeners into a disciplined, gospel-sharing life.
In the ancient Olympics as well as in today’s athletic competition, runners
jump out of the starting block in order to win, not lollygag. Just so, Paul
admonishes, should Christians conduct their life with such discipline. Athletes burn
muscles and train for short-range goals—a wreath, a trophy, whatever—but
Christians are motivated by the long range—eternal rewards. Paul closes saying
that though we achieve successes in the past, lack of discipline may bench us in the
future, so keep up the good work!
Mark 1:40-45—Touch This Lepered Me to Wholeness
We close Mark’s first chapter with a personal encounter
with an outcast, an outsider to God’s gracious saving help. Jesus the servant
who comes to seek and save the lost, is himself found. The outcast raises a
theological question: I know you have the power, but do you have the desire to heal
me? Interestingly enough, Jesus responds by first acting (“He reached out his
hand and touched the man” in verse 41,) before he gets around to answering. In
this law-breaking, ritual-renouncing, barrier-breaking act, Jesus comes to heal all those
who come in faith. Just like Naaman did. Just like we do.
