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Saturday 1st week in ordinary time

"Mk 2:13-17"

He went out again beside the sea; and all the crowd gathered about him, and he taught them. And as he passed on, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were sitting with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."

Matthew "rose and followed Him." Just like that! Jesus had chosen him to be with Him, to be close to Him, to be sent by Him to preach. He had been asked to leave everything there: his money, his job, his projects and future... his sins as well. To leave all that behind and start a new life with Jesus, to stop changing money and start changing the world! God's plan is always far better than our own.

Pope Francis loved a painting by Caravaggio of this very moment in the life of Jesus. In it you find Jesus pointing at Matthew with his finger, like someone choosing a friend for his football team. "That finger of Jesus, pointing at Matthew. That's me. I feel like him. Like Matthew," said the Pope. "It is the gesture of Matthew that strikes me: he holds on to his money as if to say, 'No, not me! No, this money is mine.' Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze. And this is what I said when they asked me if I would accept my election as pontiff: 'I am a sinner, but I trust in the infinite mercy and patience of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I accept in a spirit of penance.'" Matthew could be an instrument of God because he was sorry for his past life.

Saints are sinners who keep trying. All saints have experienced a conversion (except Our Lady). We, apostles of the 21st century, need to tell everyone that they have a place in Heaven and that, in order to begin their journey to Heaven, they don't need to be perfect... they just need to be sorry. It is no coincidence that the first one who received a promise of salvation (do you remember him? "Today you will be with me in Paradise") was a thief, a criminal condemned to death... but he was repentant, like Matthew.

I'm a sinner on whom your Son has turned His gaze, but with your help, Mary, my Mother, may I take up His invitation to become an apostle!