Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Mark 1:40-45
The leprosy left the man at once, and he was cured
A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.
Today’s Gospel is the story of an encounter between Jesus and a distraught leper. We’re told that Jesus felt sorry for him as he cried out, “have pity on me”
Jesus stretches out his hand, touches him, speak to him, breaking all conventions. The leper would have lived a very isolated life.
Far from receiving any encouragement, he was shunned by all.
He was made to feel that his physical condition, which cut him off from others, also cut him off from God. Deemed “unclean”, tagged with a bell round the neck. Denied the right to worship with the community in the synagogue. Has anything really changed with the passage of time!!
Yesterday the Taoiseach, issued an apology on behalf of the State following the publication of the commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes, who were treated as Lepers.
It’s a story of cruelty and emotional abuse visited upon mothers and babies. The report breaks the silence and transfers the shame to where it belongs- to a culture sustained by an unholy alliance of Church and State.
We’re presented with a picture of a cold and callous Ireland, that damaged the lives of tens of thousands of people consigning them to institutions. The testimonies are heart-breaking, the dignity and bravery shown by the survivors is humbling. The pioneering work of Catherine Corless is prophetic.
It’s a scathing indictment not just of the institutions but of the society that required them. It’s a condemnation our society – It’s rigid rules and conventions about sexual matters, it’s savage intolerance, it’s harsh judgementalism and un- Christian cruelty.
The Taoiseach described it as a dark, difficult and shameful chapter of recent Irish history. The system existed to ensure these women and their children felt ashamed of themselves. It holds up a mirror to aspects of our past which are shameful.
Mothers and children were stigmatised and treated exceptionally badly. The conditions in which they lived appalling, overcrowded with poor infection control, the mortality rate astounding, the final indignity denied a proper place of burial. Countless others were frozen out when it came to accessing their past and perpetuating their anguish.
What is striking is the absence of basic kindness. There are many parties who share the blame.
Archbishop Diarmuid spoke of the church’s overarching position as a shaper of culture at that time. He stressed the need to take responsibility. Those involved especially the Religious- betrayed vulnerable women, betrayed their calling as Religious and betrayed the caring message of Jesus Christ. It’s a story of hypocrisy and misogyny on a grand scale.
The tragedy is the women did not find the support and level of care they needed and deserved at that time. Apologies are hollow unless there is change.
I’m conscious that some who join us for Mass today are personally or indirectly affected by the Report. Carrying the wounds of betrayal, neglect and cruelty. Abandoned by the Agencies of Church and State. It’s a painful time revisiting a past that is ever present.
As a member of the Institutional Church, I want to express my shame, sorrow and sadness that so many lives were destroyed by a tyranny of heartless decorum.
I pray this Report, is a first step to a brighter future and in some way addresses your questions, I hope the admission of wrongdoing and apologies offered by the Religious Orders enables you reclaim your dignity, leading to healing and peace.
The Gospel reminds us Jesus didn’t just feel sorry for the ostracised, shunned and silenced of his day. He felt compassion for the leper. He stretched out his hand and touched him. Sadly, that didn’t happen in our Mother and Baby Homes. We had social distancing, denial, betrayal, indifference and monstrous cruelty.
Jesus is constantly portrayed as choosing to make contact with those who are broken in body, mind and spirit and all who are not part of the mainstream. “So long as you did it to one of these… the mothers and babies in your care…. you did it to me.
He is always a healing and life-giving presence in our lives. May all who are affected by past wrongs experience his comforting presence as one who “was “and as Risen Lord “is” no stranger to betrayal.
He asks us to be his compassionate presence for each other, to make the kind of choices that bring healing and new life to others.
It is never too late to learn from the past and renew our resolve to translate “sorry” into good deeds.