Gospel:
Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus
passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to
him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. While he was at table in his
house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his
disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher
eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He heard this and said, “Those who are
well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the
words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but
sinners.”
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Reflection:
Why does
Jesus calls us to follow Him? He calls us out of His great love for us. Jesus
doesn’t want any of us to be eaten alive by the many sins of this world. Jesus
doesn’t want any of us to suffer in hell after our mortal life in this world is
over and done with already.
We have
in our gospel a character named Matthew a corrupt tax collector who was called
by Jesus to follow Him. Even if Matthew is a sinner deep in his heart he knows
Jesus. Matthew knows deep in his heart that in Jesus he would find healing,
forgiveness and a new life. Matthew knows deep in His heart that in Jesus he
has somebody who will not condemn him but would be very much willing to listen
to his desire to repent and become His follower.
Therefore,
when Jesus told Matthew to follow Him (Matthew 9:9) he immediately left
everything behind him and followed Jesus. When Matthew heard Jesus telling him
to follow Him, Matthew heard the sweetest words that he could ever hear in his
entire life. It made Matthew whole once again for he has been broken by sin
throughout his adult life.
Perhaps
Matthew burst into tears when he heard Jesus told him to come and follow Him.
It was tears of unexplained happiness, tears of relief and freedom from the
enslavement of the devil.
Do you
also want to feel how Matthew felt during that very day that Jesus called him
to come and follow Him? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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