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:
Do you feel that Jesus is calling you to live a new life, a new life free
from of sinfulness?
Aside from Matthew whom Jesus called to follow Him we too are being
called by Jesus. We may say that we are not worthy to follow Jesus but who
amongst us are worthy? No one for we are all sinful creatures of this world.
Matthew was called by Jesus to follow Him for the precise reason that he
was a sinner. This is the character and mission of Jesus to call every sinner
to follow Him. But why is it that even if we know that we are called to
repentance we still continue to sin? We refuse to leave behind us our sinful
ways.
This is indeed very puzzling, why is it that many of us ignore Jesus call
for us to follow Him? Does this mean that we love this world more than we love
Jesus? Does this mean that Jesus is losing influence over us and the devil is
slowly but surely gaining control of our lives that is why we refuse to heed
Jesus’ call to a life of renewal and repentance?
Why did Matthew follow Jesus call? Perhaps somebody had shared to him the
love and unfathomable mercy of Jesus. Somebody had lived his faith in Jesus and
Matthew heard and saw it, that’s why it was not anymore difficult for Matthew
to recognize and follow Jesus.
The challenge before us is to share and live our faith in Jesus to the
many Matthews (Sinners) of our time. They may not have heard yet anything about
Jesus that is why they keep on sinning until this very day. Why not share the
mercy and love of Jesus?
Would you share Jesus? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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