Clean and Unclean

Be alert to the clean and the unclean, and keep clean all the time.

In Leviticus 11 – 15, God instructed children of Israel how to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, and how to cleanse the self.

Clean and unclean laws:

1)      Foods permitted and forbidden

God told HIS people what animals they could eat and what not, and the criteria to discern.

2)      Unclean animals

Children of Israel shouldn’t eat or touch the unclean animals. No touching on carcasses as well. Detect the unclean, handle the contaminated items properly, for example, wash, break, and complete the necessary steps to be clean again.

3)      After childbirth

The unclean period differed and depended on the gender of the baby. When the days of purification were fulfilled, the concerned woman must seek the priest’s help -- make atonement for her with burnt offering and sin offering, and she would be clean.

4)      Leprosy

Concerning the illness below, priests played a vital role to examine, discern and pronounce people clean or unclean, and handle offerings to make atonement for them.

a)      Leprous sore

b)      Old leprosy

c)      A boil

d)      A burn

e)      Scaly sore

f)       Leprosy breaking out on one’s bald head or on his forehead

Restraints should be observed during the unclean period. The healed leper must undergo the ritual to get cleansed. Besides body, garment and house could also be unclean due to the spread of the plague. After priest’s examination and discernment, proper handling, for example, to clean or to destroy, ought to take place.

5)      Bodily discharges

The discharges include semen from men, blood (menstruation) from women. Belongings of the unclean people such as bed, seat, and clothes also required cleaning.

God loves and cherishes HIS people. We ought to consecrate ourselves and be holy rather than defile ourselves. Thus, it is necessary to distinguish between the clean and the unclean, observe the laws to stay clean and cleanse ourselves all the time; otherwise, we will suffer from the bad consequences of all kinds of contamination to our body, mind and heart in particular.

Nowadays, we pray to God, wash our body with water and soap to get rid of the dirt, have medical treatment to cope with illness, visit the Church to confess our sins and ask for forgiveness via the penitential rite in the mass and reconciliation of individual penitents. Remaining unclean will only prolong our corruption, drown us in forgetfulness, feed us indifference and lead us sin more in the lawless status.

Stop disrespecting God. Purify ourselves shortly and thoroughly. God knows the best for us. So, keep HIS laws sternly and never be shy to confess our sins with the priests. Make atonement and be clean again without delay lest we lost HIS presence, love and mercy.

Let’s pray to God:

Our heavenly Father, give us wisdom to discern and avoid the unclean, and do the purification shortly if necessary. Save our body, heart and mind from being defiled and strengthen us to observe Your laws firmly. Amen.