[1Sam 4:1-11/Psa 44:10-11,14-15,25-26/Mark 1:40-45].
The Christian God has always shown that he is both merciful and just. In as much as he hears the cry of the poor and attends to them with urgency, he expects humans to believe in him and keep his words.
Today’s scripture texts highlight the two aspects. Mark reports about the man with leprosy who came to Jesus to plead for mercy and healing.
Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him and, there and then, he was made clean. On his part and for justice, he was told to go and show himself to the priest and offer what the law prescribed as a testimony (ibid).
Jesus promptly rescued the man with leprosy but the Lord allowed the Philistines to defeat Israelites because the latter was not pleasing in his sight. They could not be saved even when the ark of the covenant was brought to the battlefield (First Reading).
Thirty thousand foot soldiers fell in the battle against the Philistines and even the two sons of the priest Eli – Hophni and Phinehas – died and the ark of the covenant was captured (ibid).
If we believe in the Lord and change our hearts, the presence of the Lord will give us the required security. However, if we behave like the corrupt sons of Eli, he will not defend us against the enemy.
