Feb

9

Table of Mercy & Forgiveness

February 9, 2008 |

Today’s gospel is another example of the Pharisees just not getting it.  They were so wrapped up in their self-appointed sanctity that they just didn’t realize the incredible and merciful presence in their midst.

This particular instance involves Jesus calling St. Matthew to be a disciple.  St. Matthew was a tax collector - a profession that received absolutely no respect in its day.  To be a tax collector was to be the lowest of the low.  It was a license to steal and most did.  Worse yet, you turned most of the money you collected over to the occupying authorities.  Tax collectors were despised by the Jews and considered grave sinners.

Along comes Jesus and calls St. Matthew.  He has dinner at St. Matthew’s home - a dinner with other tax collectors and unsavory characters.  The Pharisees have a big problem with Christ associating himself with these miscreants.

Jesus replies by letting them know that -

“Those who are healthy do not need  physician, but the sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentence but sinners.”

I can just see the Pharisees just puffing up their chests.  Some thinking, “well good, I’m righteous so I don’t need to repent.”  I can see them automatically thinking themselves superior to the diners at St. Matthew’s home.

Yet, I think Christ was almost being sarcastic when referring to the “righteous” versus the “sinners” - and the sarcasm went right over the Pharisees’ head. 

The Pharisees thought so highly of themselves that they thought they didn’t need Christ - they didn’t need to repent - they didn’t need mercy and forgiveness. 

But, we all know that we are all sinners.  We go through life trying to make ourselves better.  Lent is supposed to be one long retreat in which we examine our life and try to figure out how to do it better.  Even if we are devout and mostly get it right - we trip up now and then.  There are things we need to fix.  Even the saints recognized their own failings and resolved to do better as life went on.

It is a grave misjudgment to be like the Pharisees - thinking ourselves to be better than the rest.  Christ calls all of us to repentence.  None of us are “the righteous” - we are all sinners.  And if St. Matthew - the lowest of the low - can answer the call to follow Christ - so can we.

This Lent, let us answer the call to come to Christ’s table of mercy and forgiveness - regardless of how well we think we are living our lives.


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