Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mk 2:13-17)
Today’s Gospel is Good News. It truly is.
Why? Well, Jesus called Levi, the tax collector. He was a man who was considered an outcast by the Israelites. He had “sold out” and worked for the Romans. He certainly would not have been considered a faithful person.
Yet Jesus called him. And, in doing so, He let people know that the call of God goes out to everyone. That is Good News because, if Levi could get the call, so can we!
We are sinners. Let’s make no bones about that. We have often wandered from the path that leads to the Kingdom. We live in a sinful world that beckons us to be unfaithful to God. There are times we accept the invitation to unfaithfulness rather than trust in God.
Yesterday we considered how God is so merciful. Jesus forgave the paralytic his sins. Today, we consider how the merciful God calls all people to follow Him.
All people.
That’s you and me.
Rejoice in that today. Do all that you can to reject sin in all of its forms. When you fail, go to confession and know God’s mercy. Then, try to be a voice of invitation to others so that they may hear God’s call as well.
FAITH ACTION: Pray for those who appear to be trapped in lives of sin, that they might accept the Lord’s invitation to follow Him faithfully.