Friday, July 5, 2002

13th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Am 8:4-6, 9-12

Gospel: Mt 9:9-13

As Jesus moved on, he saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the custom-house, and he said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and other sinners joined Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, "Why is it that your master eats with those sinners and tax collectors?"

When Jesus heard this he said, "Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Commentary

"What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." These sentences of Jesus are a challenge to today's Christian communities, and to the Church in general. Most of our energy is spent in converting the converted, evangelizing the evangelized. Our priests keep themselves busy "saying Masses" that have become neither sacrifices nor acts of mercy, but sad to say, a routine work and way of earning a living. We should consider to leave the ninety-nine (not necessarily abandon) and search for the one who is still lost. Rediscover our sense of mission, redirect our lives and ministries. On the other hand the gospel assures us that God will get closer to us whenever we humbly accept our sinful condition, not when we pretend to be holy.

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