Gospel Mark
2:13-17
Jesus
went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he
passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus
said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at
table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his
disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were
Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to
his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard
this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the
sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
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Reflection:
How can
we evangelize sinners and bring them closer to Jesus? The answer is very
simple, by not judging them and by showing them the love of Jesus.
There are
sinners because there are people who don’t care to show the language of love by
Jesus. The language of forgiveness, the language of not judging them for what
they do. However, the moment we dare show them the language of love, of
forgiveness and of not being judgmental. Expect these sinners to walk away from
their sinfulness sooner or later.
In the
gospel the language of love, of forgiveness and of not being judgmental we can
see in the actions of Jesus towards the sinful tax collector Levi. Jesus went
to him not minding Levi’s reputation, Jesus even went to Levi’s house to mingle
and break bread with him and his fellow sinners. This is the only way that we can convert
sinners.
We cannot
convert sinners by judging them as good for nothing and beyond redemption. We
cannot convert sinners by bluntly telling them to walk away from their
sinfulness or they would die or be imprisoned. And we cannot convert sinners by
not showing them the love, forgiveness and gentleness of Jesus. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas