First Reading, A Reading from the book of Leviticus Cor 10:31-11:1 Lev 13:1-2.44-46

The leaper must live apart; he must live outside the camp.

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron. 'If a swelling or scab or shiny spot appears on a man's skin, a case of leprosy of the skin is to be suspected. The man must be taken to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests who are his sons.
'The man is leprous: he is unclean. The priest must declare him unclean; he is suffering from leprosy of the head. A man infected with leprosy must wear his clothing torn and his hair disordered; he must shield his upper lip and cry, "Unclean, unclean." As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean; and therefore he must live apart; he must live outside the camp.'.

This is the word of the Lord

Second Reading, A Reading from the letter of St Paul to theCorinthians 1 Cor 10:31-11:1

Take me for your model, as I take Christ.

Whatever you eat, whatever you drink, whatever you do at all, do it for the glory of God. Never do anything offensive to anyone - to Jews or Greeks or to the Church of God' just as I try to be helpful to everyone at all times, not anxious for my own advantage but for the advantage of everybody else, so that they may be saved.
Take me for your model, as I take Christ.
This is the word of the Lord

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark Mk 1:40-45

The leprosy left him at once and he was cured.

A leper came 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 prescibed 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..'

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

HOMILY

GOSPEL REFLECTION

Made Clean

In the Old Testament, leprosy is depicted as punishment for disobedience of God's commands (see Numbers 12:12-15'2 Kings 5:27; 15:5).
Considered "unclean" - unfit to worship or live with the Israelities, lepers are considered "stillborn," the living dead (see Numbers 12:12). Indeed, the requirements imposed on lepers in today's First Reading - rent garments, shaven head, covered beard - are signs of death, penance, and mourning (see Leviticus 10:6; Ezekiel 24:17).
So there's more to the story in today's Gospel than a miraculous healing.
When Elisha, invoking God's name, healed the leper, Naaman, it proved there was a prophet in Israel (see 2 Kings 5:8). Today's healing reveals Jesus as far more than a great prophet - He is God visiting His People (see Luke 7:16).
Only God can cure leprosy and cleanse from sin (see 2 Kings 5:7); and only God has the power to bring about what He wills (see Isaiah 55:11; Wisdom 12:18).
The Gospel scene has an almost sacramental quality about it.
Jesus stretches out His hand - as God, by His outstretched arm, performed mighty deeds to save the Israelites (see Exodus 14:6; Acts 4:30). His ritual sign is accompanied by a divine word ("Be made clean"). And, like God's word in creation ("Let there be"), Jesus' word "does" what He commands (see Psalm 33:9).
The same thing happens when we show ourselves to the priest in the sacrament fo penance. On our knees like the leper, we confess our sins to the Lord, as we sing in today's Psalm. And through the oustretched arm and divine word spoken by His priest, the Lord takes away the guilt of our sin.
Like the leper we shoud rejoice in the Lord and spread the good news of HIs mercy. We should testify to our healing by living changed lives. As Paul says in today's Epistle, we should do eve the littlest things for the glory of God and that others may be saved.