GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Mark
Mark 1:40-45
A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
“If you wish, you can make me clean.”
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
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.
The word of the Lord
Wanting and Being Able
“Wanting” and “being able” are two verbs with a vast distance between them in situations like that of the leper. But for the Lord, they always go together, because what He wants to do, He can always do, and what He can do, He always wants to do. In our case, however, in matters of love and healing, we may want a lot and be able to do nothing. And other times, we may be able to do a lot and not want to do anything. There are many times when I could love my spouse more and I don’t want to love him/her more. I don’t want to because I’m tired, or because I’m fed up, or because I think s/he don’t deserve it, or because I’m hurt by something they’ve done, or I don’t want to because I believe they don’t love me. Today, Jesus returns the phrase to me and presents my spouse wounded by sin (I close my eyes and contemplate them in my heart). After looking at them for a few moments, Jesus says to me: If you want, you can love him/her more. Let’s see if I respond like Him and say: I want to!
Applied to married life:
Fran: If you want, you can forgive me.
Patri: I’m very hurt by you and I don’t want to forgive you.
Fran: Will you at least give me a hug?
Patri: I don’t want to hug you because you don’t deserve it. (The next day, Patri goes to confession and the priest does not give her absolution. Upon arriving home…) Patri: Husband, I’m home. Can you come?
Fran: I’m coming!
Patri: I wanted to forgive you for yesterday. The Lord taught me a lesson today because the priest couldn’t give me absolution for my sins for not wanting to forgive you.
Fran: Oh! Thank you for forgiving me.
Patri: Will you forgive me too?
Fran: Well, now I don’t want to forgive you… Just kidding! Of course, I do. Come into my arms!
Mother,
How many things the Lord wants to do through us and does not do out of respect for our freedom, all those times we can but do not want to. Today we say to you: We are your servants, Lord! Praised be you.