master eats with sinners and tax collectors?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people
do. Go, and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Reflection:
Some people thought of as habitual sinners do not necessarily possess a callous
conscience. Deep down, some of them long for a better life. It’s just that they don’t know
how. Their sinful life is the life they had for a long time that they forgot how to live a life
that is good. They need help from others to show them the way, but sad to say, others
shun them and do not want to have anything to do with them. Take for example the tax
collector Matthew in today’s gospel. He is in his usual tax collector table. Day in and
day out he does this everyday. The monotony of his work deadened his capacity to think
of something else to do, and how to get away from his trade marked as sinful. And then
Jesus comes along. A simple invitation wakes Matthew from his stupor. He got up
and followed Jesus and never looked back to his past sinful life. Jesus gives him reason
to start anew. That very day Jesus called and he followed, is the day that salvation finally
entered his household.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2021