THEOSISCyrill of Alexandria
Cyril. More precisely differentiating these afflictions, the law states: If there is suspicion that leprosy has manifested itself in a blistered wound or in an area of the body previously burned, the priest must again exercise the same vigilance and care. If what appears to be blossoming white does not develop into leprosy, it should be considered clean. However, if the white shows signs of turning into leprosy, he will be deemed unclean and marked as such (Leviticus 13:18-28). The Law also conveys to us that spiritual ailments, which are countless, can be healed through a righteous life, but if through our negligence they are allowed to resurface as if to be set free again, Christ, our supreme High Priest, will assess them and deliver a just verdict.
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If the ailment has only reached the realm of thoughts, even then, the afflicted is not without fault: he is said to be excommunicated (Leviticus 13:26), yet he is not completely abandoned nor entirely lost. Should the affliction progress beyond mere thoughts to include desires, and if the individual has undergone a significant decline, then the penalty for defilement is warranted. Therefore, we must be particularly cautious not to allow dormant passions to revive, lest we reopen spiritual wounds and revert to past sins. Otherwise, we may hear the saint lamenting, ‘For it has happened to them according to the faithful saying: the dog returns to his vomit, and the washed pig returns to wallow in the mud’ (2 Peter 2:22). Palladium. I believe you express this insightfully and fittingly.