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:
Why did Jesus call Levi to follow Him notwithstanding his notorious
reputation as a corrupt tax collector? This is for the reason that Jesus loves
sinners. He walked on this earth primarily to save us sinners and to call us
all to follow Him.
Jesus is pro sinners and He loves sinners. He favors the sinners,
He seeks the sinners and He doesn’t judge and discriminate the sinners. This is
what happened to Levi or Matthew. Being a sinner Jesus went to Levi to express
to him that He still loves him notwithstanding his many sins.
No matter how sinful we are, God is continuously calling us to conversion
and to follow Him just like what He had done with Levi. He doesn’t judge us by
our sins; He rather looks at our desire to leave behind our sinfulness. The
moment we decide to leave our sinful ways we can always be assured of His peace
and His abiding presence.
It is always us who creates detachment from Jesus and not Jesus detaching
Himself from us. This occurs when we commit sins and continuously
ignore Jesus’ call for repentance. Jesus is just a prayer away, ever ready to
embrace us with His love and forgiveness the moment we decide to walk away from
our sinful ways.
Would you respond to Jesus’ call of repentance? – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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