Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

If I Could Only Touch Him

Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II

Introduction

Among the Jews, the Ark of the Covenant was the sign of God’s presence. This is why as the people moved, the ark moved with them. God was where his people were. Also in their clashes with the Philistines, they wanted God to be on their side for their Jihad, their holy war, but they forgot that they would also have to live as God’s people, otherwise the presence of the ark would be without value.

Gospel. There is the story of the father whose child had been born badly deformed. He was disheartened and could not love it. But one day he said, “If I can only kiss and touch it, then I can completely accept it.” And that is what he did. Jesus not only healed the leper, but he also touched him, showing that he loved and accepted the man completely.

Opening Prayer

God, our Father,
you let your Son Jesus Christ,
share the lot of outcasts
and bear the sufferings of all.
Let us become like him,
so that among us no one stays an outcast,
no sin remains unforgivable,
no misery is a cause for rejection.
Make us with your Son,
people who lift up the despised
with words of welcome
and deeds of encouragement.

We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

First Reading

1 Samuel 4:1-11

The Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel.
Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer,
while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel.
After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines,
who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield.
When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said
“Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated today
by the Philistines?
Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh
that it may go into battle among us
and save us from the grasp of our enemies.”

So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there
the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim.
The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God.
When the ark of the LORD arrived in the camp,
all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded.
The Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked,
“What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?”
On learning that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp,
the Philistines were frightened.
They said, “Gods have come to their camp.”
They said also, “Woe to us! This has never happened before. Woe to us!
Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods?
These are the gods that struck the Egyptians
with various plagues and with pestilence.
Take courage and be manly, Philistines;
otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews,
as they were your slaves.
So fight manfully!”
The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated;
every man fled to his own tent.
It was a disastrous defeat,
.in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers.
The ark of God was captured,
and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25

R.        (27b)  Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
Yet now you have cast us off and put us in disgrace,
and you go not forth with our armies.
You have let us be driven back by our foes;
those who hated us plundered us at will.
R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
You made us the reproach of our neighbors,
the mockery and the scorn of those around us.
You made us a byword among the nations,
a laughingstock among the peoples.
R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
Why do you hide your face,
forgetting our woe and our oppression?
For our souls are bowed down to the dust,
our bodies are pressed to the earth.
R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.

Alleluia Verse

See Matthew 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

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.

Prayers of the Faithful

– With all those who seek pardon and reconciliation, we cry out to you, Lord. With all who have found forgiveness, we praise you Lord:

– With all who wail day and night in their loneliness and misery, we cry out to you Lord. With all those who have found friends to help, we praise you Lord:

– With all who hide their suffering, we cry to you, Lord. With all who share with others and uplift them, we praise you, Lord:

Prayer over the Gifts

Merciful Father,
with bread and wine we remember
how you raised us up
above our guilt and fears and our isolation.

Dispose us to share with all
your joy, your acceptance, and affection
on account of him who shared our poverty
and made himself weak and humble with us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Loving, merciful Father,
at the table of your Son, we have learned
to be present to one another
as he has been present among us here
with a love that is discreet and reviving
like a breath of fresh air.
On account of him, who has taken away
the hardness of our hearts,
dispose us to share our riches and our poverty,
to receive one another and from each other
and to touch one another with our love.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

How very happy our community would be if we could fully accept one another just as we are, without condemning, without judging or begrudging, without looking down on anyone, without trying to create one another into our own image and likeness. Let us build up one another with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTION:

Mark 1: 40-45

Contagious Compassion: Following Christ’s Healing Touch

The Gospel passage of the healing of the leper offers a reflection on Jesus’ response to human suffering and the call for Christians to emulate His mercy. In a society that shunned lepers as impure and cast them out as untouchable, Jesus breaks every barrier of fear and prejudice. The leper’s humble plea—“If you will, you can make me clean”—is met with a compassionate response that goes way beyond physical healing. Jesus, moved by deep pity, stretches out His hand, touches the man, and heals him, restoring his dignity and place in the community.

By reaching out to the leper, He demonstrates that God’s mercy transcends alllimits. He embraces the brokenness of humanity and provides His wholeness in exchange. This reciprocal relationship is reflected in every sacrament, particularly in Reconciliation, where Christ liberates us from the “leprosy” of sin, rejuvenating our souls with His grace.

This passage challenges us to confront suffering and marginalisation with the same fearless compassion. In a world where isolation and stigma persist in various forms, we are called to be instruments of Christ’s merciful love. Helping others is not merely a task but a sacred encounter. It requires looking into their eyes, touching their wounds, and offering tender, heartfelt care.

If evil and fear are contagious, so too is goodness. By choosing to spread compassion and kindness, we participate in the mission of Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Do we draw close to those in need with tenderness, or do we help from a distance? Like Jesus, may we extend our hands, touch hearts, and allow God’s mercy to flow through us, healing a world in need.

Contagious Compassion: Following Christ’s Healing Touch - Youtube

Mk 1: 40-45

You heal us with your wounds

A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I do want to; be clean.”…. However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

Carlos felt called to live a life of simplicity according to the Gospel. He quit college and began to live in a squatters’ area somewhere in Quezon City, Philippines. He lived a hermit’s life in a one-room shack, fasting and praying when he had nothing to eat. He purposely did not beg or ask for anything from anyone, but he experienced that the Lord indeed provided for his little ones.

Some families came to know about him, and they generously offered to take turns to bring him something for breakfast, lunch and dinner from the little they themselves had. In time, they formed a small prayer community. People from outside the area also began coming to ask Carlos for advice and to pray with him. They also invited him to give talks to different prayer communities.

Though he did not directly engage in any ministry in the place where he lived and the people in his neighborhood did not know about his life, except for those families that sent him some food, every time he came home from his ministry outside, the children in the area would gather to meet him, hold his hands and lead him home.

Jesus, you heal us with your wounds. Grant us the grace that we too may reach out to others to bring your healing and salvation to them. Amen.

You heal us with your wounds - Youtube