Gospel Reading for September 21, 2024 – Matthew 9: 9-13
THE CHANCE TO GAIN
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.”
————
During Jesus’ time, there was an almost VISIBLE DIVIDE between the publicly known sinners and the “non-sinners” because “non-sinners” were not supposed to mingle with sinners. How infuriating this must have been for Jesus who knew that no one can claim to be a “non-sinner” and no one had the right to determine which was which. No wonder, he was against the Pharisees. The world, even as it is now, is full of sinners – the handiwork of the wily devil. This is why God sent his only Son into the world – to save us from the evil one and to give us THE CHANCE TO GAIN ETERNAL LIFE.
What is most important is our desire and will to change from our evil ways to being good. Sinners are always given the chance to become saints like St. Matthew, whose feast we celebrate today. How big our gain from St. Matthew’s conversion! How big our gain that Jesus chose him to be one of his apostles! How big our gain that a whole gospel was written by him from the genealogy of Jesus to the time after his resurrection when he commissioned his apostles: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28: 18-20)
Teach us and help us, Lord, to live a life with the goal of attaining eternal life with you!
