Gospel: Luke
5:27-32
Jesus saw a
tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow
me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave
a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and
others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to
his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and
sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a
physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance
but sinners.”
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Reflection:
Who are the
modern day sinners that Jesus wants to call to repentance? It’s no other than
us, we are sinners; we sin through our thoughts, actions and words. Like the
tax collector Levi, Jesus calls us to follow Him, to leave behind us our
sinfulness.
Why does
Jesus calls us to follow Him? He wants to build a deeper friendship with us.
And this would only happen if we would choose to respond to His call. Rather
than respond to the call of the devil who always calls us to sin.
When we
respond to the call of Jesus we ensure ourselves of a meaningful life. This
doesn’t mean that the moment to we say yes to Jesus we would be free from
worries and trials. We would still have our own share of trials and worries.
Yet in the midst of our worries and trials we will feel the abiding presence of
Jesus in our lives.
If we decide
to follow Jesus there would be people who will despise and perhaps belittle us.
But we have nothing to worry with those who will despise us. What is most
important is we chose to leave behind our sinfulness in favor of Jesus’ call.
To leave
behind our sinfulness is not easy to do because the devil will not easily let
us go. Nevertheless, nothing is impossible for Jesus all He asks us is our yes
and our firm desire to leave behind our sinfulness.
Lest we
forget, a sinful life is a life in union with the devil and a sinful life is a problem filled life. Let us therefore
respond to this call of Jesus. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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