GOSPEL POWER l SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 l TUESDAY

St. Matthew, Apostle  and Evangelist

Gospel: Mt 9:9-13  

9 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at  the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and  followed him. 10And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and  sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. 11When the  Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher  eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12But when he heard this, he  said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who  are sick. 13Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’  For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” 

Jesus equates being a sinner with being sick. That must be  why we ought to be merciful to one another, for all of us,  being sinners, are sick. Sick people are not to be condemned,  but to be given care. Jesus, in freely associating with sinners and  sitting in table-fellowship with them, shows that God does not take  offense at them, but rather desires to offer them mercy. Jesus has come  precisely for this, and he can do this only by getting close to sinners,  touching them and letting himself be touched by them. Those who  believe themselves to be righteous will see Jesus as irrelevant, having  nothing to add to their imagined “secure” status before God. But they  are living a dangerous lie, for only God can make a person righteous,  and God has willed to do this through his Son Jesus.

Lord Jesus, you are God the Father’s face of mercy. Make us channels  of your mercy toward our fellow-sinners, that divine mercy may abound  on earth. Amen