1st Reading – Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,
“If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch
which appears to be the sore of leprosy,
he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,
or to one of the priests among his descendants.
If the man is leprous and unclean,
the priest shall declare him unclean
by reason of the sore on his head.

“The one who bears the sore of leprosy
shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,
and shall muffle his beard;
he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’
As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,
since he is in fact unclean.
He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

The book of Leviticus was written primarily for the priests of Israel, the Levites. It draws together various bodies of law and ritual, starting with the laws concerning the Levites themselves; in fact, this book can be considered a kind of manual or handbook for Levitical priests. Catholic scholars acknowledge Moses as its author.

Leviticus is almost entirely legislative in character. At its core, the law was the social expression of the people’s covenant relationship with God. The law helped the people remain in right relationship with God, who is holy. In fact, a refrain throughout the book of Leviticus is that the Lord’s people shall be holy, because the Lord is holy.

Today’s first reading is a passage from Leviticus that deals with laws of purity, specifically with contagious diseases. Continue reading “Feb 14, 2021: 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)” →