I do will it

In the Gospel According to Mark 1:40–45 (NABRE), Jesus heals a leper. This instance is remarkable because it shows us how Jesus performs signs and miracles described in Scripture. Even the leper’s request of Jesus in the Gospel According to Mark 1:40 (NABRE) is remarkable. The role of priests traditionally was one of diagnosis. They would pronounce someone clean or unclean, and their pronouncement was an evaluation of an existing state meant to protect other members of the community.

Here the leper asks Jesus for a different kind of pronouncement, one that changes the existing state. Moreover, he sees that the key driver of such change is Jesus’ will or desire. The Greek word θέλω (thelo) means ” I will, I want, I desire, I intend.” The leper correctly identifies that his physical state is subject to the desire or intention of Jesus, and he petitions Jesus accordingly. Jesus admits that he does want this man to be made clean, and so the man is healed.

This passage teaches us something valuable about how to pray. The leper focuses in his request on what is God’s will, and defers to what Jesus wants. When we pray, we should do the same.

you also may like our study of the book of Exodus
You Shall Have No Other Gods: The Book of Exodus, a 28-lesson Catholic Bible study with an imprimatur, provides an in-depth look at how significant events in biblical history that occurred thousands of years ago to descendants of Jacob remain relevant and even critical for present-day Christians to understand. The deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt and the giving of Ten Commandments are examined along with the development of Moses’ relationship to God. Click here to view a sample of the first lesson.

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