Scripture for this reflection can be found at Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time | USCCB
In our
gospel for today we see the usual judgementalism of the Pharisees towards Jesus
and those who Jesus was ministering to. Jesus’ mission was to come and help
people return to relationship with God.
Tax
collectors during the time of Jesus were considered outcasts by the Jewish
people because they worked for the Roman government and were extorting money
from the Jews in order to turn it over to the Romans, while keeping some of the
money for themselves. As a result, they were considered the worsts of sinners
for betraying God and the Jewish people in order to make a profit. Further,
there were others who just simply turned away from their faith in God and were
living lives not compatible with Jewish law.
To the Pharisees these people were beyond redemption and were already condemned
by God. Jesus, knowing the hearts of all people, reached out to these tax
collectors and sinners and showed them the love that God has for each one of
them. All they needed to do was to turn back to God, repent for their
sinfulness, and develop that loving relationship with God, who is all loving
and forgiving.
Matthew is a
prime example of someone turning his life over to God. Through Jesus Christ, he
saw his sinfulness, repented, and would go on to proclaim that Jesus Christ is
Lord and Savior. We are to be like St. Matthew in helping others to come and
know the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.
In our day
and age, Jesus is still calling people away from their sinful ways to turn back
to Him and to seek forgiveness for their sins through his church. All of us are
called to be Christ-like towards those who may be living a life not appropriate
to the Christian way of life that we know and love. We are called to be
welcoming to all people and invite them to share our faith in the loving God,
as taught by Jesus Christ. We may see people whose lifestyles we may not
approve of, but we need to look beyond their sinfulness and see people loved by
God and made in His likeness. We are called to pray for them and make them
welcome in our Christian community. As Jesus responds to the Pharisees, when they
question about why he was with tax collectors and sinners, he says, "Those
who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” (Matthew 9:12) Those who have left the
church and relationship with God for any reason are being called by the Lord to
return to a relationship with Him and to seek forgiveness.
So let us
show the love of God to all people and make all welcomed into our church. Pray
for them that they may turn away from sin and embrace a life in relationship
with God through Jesus Christ.
