2 Kings 1-5

The focus shifts away from the kings to the prophets as 2 Kings opens. Elisha is the faithful follower and heir apparent to Elijah. He travels with him wherever he goes--"I will not leave you," he promises. And he keeps that promise until Elijah is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, riding in a flaming chariot drawn by flaming horses. Elisha takes up Elijah's mantle--literally and figuratively. 

Although I believe that Elisha is ultimately a less significant prophet than Elijah, Elisha's actions nonetheless echo and prefigure those of Moses and Jesus, respectively, in many ways. He divides the river so that he may cross it on dry land; he provides water for the people when they are thirsty; he appears to turn a body of water to blood; he multiplies oil (instead of wine) into many jars and a small number of loaves (instead of loaves and fish) into enough for a hundred men to eat; he brings someone back from the dead (as both Elijah and Jesus did); he cures a leper. 

This last is an especially moving story. Naaman, the army commander of the king of Aram was highly respected and esteemed. But he had leprosy. A little girl is the one who suggests that Naaman go to Elisha. When Naaman presents himself, Elisha does not see him in person, but instead sends a message to Naaman instructing him to bathe seven times in the waters of the Jordan. Naaman is angry that Elisha did not deign to meet him in person, and leaves, intending to ignore the instruction. But Naaman's servants prevail on him to follow Elisha's direction, and Elisha is cured. Indeed, "his flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." When Naaman returned to Elisha to accept a thanksgiving offering, Elisha would not accept it. Elisha, instead, tells him (as Jesus often did) to "go in peace."

The cure of Naaman speaks to me about God's work in our lives, about the power of the sacraments--mysteries that we believe, whose power we witness, but that we don't "see" in the traditional sense. Baptism and Reconciliation wash us clean, as Naaman was washed clean. As adults we can somehow "feel" the renewing power of Reconciliation, yet we cannot point to the how or the where of it.

Leviticus 13:40-14:57

The discussion of leprosy continues and provides more support for the idea that it serves as a metaphor for sinfulness. The leper must rent his garments, keep his head bare, muffle his beard, and cry out "Unclean, unclean!" Moreover, the leper must be separated from the community and "dwell apart." When I sin, when I am less than the best version of myself (the self God created me to be), then I do set myself apart from the community. My sinfulness diminishes me, eats at me if you will, and prevents me from embracing God and my community. My sinfulness isolates me. I find it isolates me even from myself. As if I lose myself and cannot seem to find my way back. When this happens, I find it very frightening. It feels cold and dark. I imagine it is what Hell is--not flames and pain, but dark isolation, like outer space. No connection to anyone; no light and no warmth. 

Leviticus 8-13:39

Aaron and his sons undergo the ceremony of ordination, the details of which were commanded and carefully prescribed by God to Moses. At the end of the ceremony, Aaron "raised his hands over the people and blessed them. Then the glory of God was revealed to all the people." God reveals His glory through the priest-mediator. This is a concept that continues to this day. Jesus of course is the ultimate Priest and Mediator. In some ways, so too is Mary--a mediatrix who intercedes for us in a special way. Catholic priests have a mediating role as well.  Their special, integral role in the sacrifice of the Mass, established through their ordination, becomes the medium through which we can eat and drink Christ's body and blood. I am not sure, though, what to make of the brief story of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons. Consecrated as priests, they make the mistake of burning incense not approved by God, and because they offered up before the Lord a "profane fire", the Lord causes a fire to come forth and consume them. Moses attempts to explain the Lord's ways to Aaron, but he says nothing in response. As I said, I am not sure how to understand this. It seems an incredibly harsh punishment for an act that I do not see the evil in. Perhaps Aaron's silence reflects an inner conflict between love for his sons and his respect and trust in the ways of the Lord. But I wonder if Moses, who repeatedly challenged and questioned God, would have stayed silent had it been two of his sons. Another aspect of the priest's role as mediator is captured in the following direction that God gives directly to Aaron: You must be able to to distinguish between what is sacred and what is profane, between what is clean and what is unclean; you must teach the Israelites all the laws that the Lord has given them through Moses.  So, the priest does not simply mediate the sacrifices that cleanse sins, but also must teach the law and must discern between clean and unclean and good and evil.  Priests are called to these very weighty responsibilities in the Church today as well. Finally, Aaron and the other priests are given an important role in diagnosing leprosy, which is a focal point of a long section in Leviticus. This section suggests to me that leprosy serves as a metaphor for sinfulness. It is a disease that eats away at the body just as sin eats away a person's spirit.  At my spirit.  Like leprosy, sin has a social dimension as well, as both can be contagious and can infect and negatively impact a whole community.