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Feast of St. Arnold Janssen
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.
Reflection: Miracles amaze and inspire us. For that reason, it is common for people of faith to pray for them. They are acts of God’s great mercy, but the miracles we pray for are not always part of God’s plan. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a leper who comes to Him, kneels down, and says, “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). After that, Jesus’ Sacred Heart is moved with compassion, so He says to the leper, “I do will it. Be made clean” (Mark 1:41). Once healed, Jesus does something that might surprise us: He tells the man not to tell anyone about the healing. Why the secrecy?
This pattern of a divine manifestation of Jesus’ power, followed by His command not to publicize the experience, is often referred to as Jesus’ “Messianic Secret.” We see this invitation to secrecy especially throughout the Synoptic Gospels. For example, after Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus “warned them not to tell anyone about him.” (Mark 8:30). Similarly, following the Transfiguration, He commands Peter, James, and John, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:9). Even when Jesus silences demons who proclaim His identity, such as when they cry out, “You are the Son of God,” He “rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah” (Luke 4:41).
This pattern of secrecy highlights an important truth: Jesus’ identity as the Messiah could not be fully understood apart from the Cross and the Resurrection. At this early stage in His ministry, publicizing His miracles risked distorting His mission, as many people expected a political or earthly Messiah. The fact that Jesus manifested His divine power at times led many to seek Him out for that power rather than for the real purpose of His mission. We must learn from this pattern and seek out Jesus for the right reasons.
The Messianic Secret reminds us that while miracles reveal God’s mercy and power, they are not ends in themselves. Rather, they point to the deeper truth of Christ’s mission. He came to reconcile humanity to the Father through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This truth calls us to embrace God’s will over our own preferences, humbly recognizing that God’s plan unfolds according to His ways and timing, not ours.
Do you desire miracles in your life? It’s understandable that when we encounter some heavy burden we might ask God to intervene and resolve the situation. God sometimes does so, but only when, in His wisdom, He sees that the answered prayer will bear the most important fruit He desires to bestow: the sanctification of our souls, leading to our salvation.
If we want to be followers of Christ, it’s important that we follow Him on His terms. The heart of the Gospel message is not, “Ask me for favors and I will grant them.” Rather, it is, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Freedom from sin is more important than physical healings or resolutions to earthly issues. In fact, God often uses physical ailments and other crosses to deepen our trust in Him because they give us an opportunity to unite ourselves to His Passion. This leads to greater holiness and eternal blessings, rather than earthly and passing rewards.
Reflect today on the miracles you might be hoping for in your own life. Are you willing to trust in God’s wisdom and timing, even if His answer is not what you want? Rather than focusing solely on temporal favors, resolve to deepen your faith in Christ’s mission. Commit to embrace His will, especially in moments of suffering or uncertainty, knowing that God’s greatest desire is your salvation. Seek first His Kingdom, confident that His plan—whether through miracles, crosses, or quiet moments of grace—will always lead you to a deeper union with Him.
All-powerful Lord, You can do all things. At times, You intervene and bring resolution to crosses. At other times, You call me to embrace those crosses with hope and trust, knowing that Your wisdom is far above my own. Please give me the grace I need to seek Your will above my own, trusting that You will work all things for good when I love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
