Reflection for January 14, Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time: Mark 2:13-17

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:

Are we sometimes quick to judge those who sin? For example, we judge somebody as sinner because of his/her sinful lifestyle. 

However, the moment we judge we also begin to distance ourselves from the person that we judge. And in doing so we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to convert this person.

Those who sin are not permanent sinners there comes a certain point in their lives that they want to change. This change is facilitated when they are not judged for the things that they’ve done. Instead, they are listened, forgiven and given the freedom to live a new life.  

Jesus in our gospel reading did not judge Levi a tax collector and labeled as a sinner by those who know him. What did Jesus do? Instead of judging or even condemning Levi; He went to Levi talked to him and told Levi to come and follow Him. And immediately Levi left whatever that he was doing and followed Jesus.

What if Jesus judged Levi as sinner and told Levi that that he deserves to be roasted in hell? There would have been no conversion and healing on the part of Levi. These acts of mercy, compassion and forgiveness of Jesus should serve as a lesson for all of us.

If we want conversion from sinners, we should not judge them. Because who are we to judge when we are also sinners like them? We should instead help them live a new life permanently away from their former sinful lives. - Marino J. Dasmarinas