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Gospel Reading for July 04, 2025 – Matthew 9: 9-13
CHANGE
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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Matthew was a tax collector, and tax collectors were hated by the Jews as they were known to be corrupt as well as traitors because they collected for the Roman Empire and made profit as such. In short, they were regarded as sinners by the Jews, and therefore, have to be shunned. It was not surprising then that the Pharisees reacted when they saw Jesus mingling with them, especially at table. To dine with sinners was seen by the Pharisees as a violation of social and religious norms. It must have been worst for them when they came to know that Matthew became a regular follower of Jesus!
This thing of looking down on sinners when we ourselves are not sinless is not normal behavior. It is an indication of something being basically wrong within ourself. The most common reason for being such is Projection – we cannot accept we are unclean so we brand others to be unclean, thus making us hypocrites, as Jesus called the Pharisees.
When Jesus said that he did not come to call the righteous but sinners, it was short of saying that those of us who think we are pure and blameless, cannot be saved. Even when we sin, God does not brand us as sinners because for him, there is always room for CHANGE. Through his Spirit, we can always be victorious over sin and self-destruction.
Let us ponder on this song written in 1968 by Atek Jacinto, which won second place at a songwriting contest of the then Youth Movement – Sing-Out Asia, TIME TO CHANGE –
It’s time for us to make our dreams come true.
A guiding voice will tell us what to do.
It’s the time to change ourselves and
show the world that we still care for men
and we’ll lead them there…
We’ll lead them to a place beyond the sea;
A place of love where everyone is free.
Don’t despair, the path to happiness is wide
if we must change our ways call on God for our guide;
if we must change our ways call on God for our guide;
