16 January 2025 - Thursday of the 1st week of odd-numbered years
Homily
In Jesus' time, the word “leprosy” was a generic expression to designate a large number of diseases, especially skin diseases, and above all contagious and incurable diseases. Because of the horror felt towards these various forms of disease, those affected were ostracised. They were separated from the rest of the people, often by virtue of religious laws. In this way, people not only protected themselves from physical contact with a contagious patient, but also psychologically and spiritually exempted themselves from looking inwards.