Saturday of the First week of Ordinary Time (1 Sm 9:1-10:1; Mk 2:13-17) Most of us would definitely get disturbed if a person from a religious community gets involved in something which we might consider spiritually wrong. Many of us will make a scandal out of it. Maybe we will spoil the person’s name even more, and perhaps not give the person another chance. Of course, if persons do some crime, they will pay for it according to the law. Yet, we need to ask ourselves whether we are “playing the judge” or worse still, trying to “play God” and condemning the person to hell? Scripture today seems to show how Jesus treats sinners in His own inimitable way. The name of the man mentioned here too is important – Levi. Now, Levi is the ancestor of the Levites – the priestly clan that served in the Temple and as priests. Yet, it seems that this man chose an occupation that makes him hated among the Jews, seem like a traitor and treated like a sinner. It seems that with this man, the name Levi that should have been treated with so much honor is now become a name that is now treated with contempt. The choice of names and symbols that Scripture uses is indeed amazing. Perhaps it may even reflect various things and personalities even in our own age and times. Into such a situation, Jesus walks in. Levi is sitting at the customs post. This scene is a true enactment of what Jesus says elsewhere about the Good Shepherd, who will leave the ninety-nine in search of the lost sheep. Indeed the crowds were following Jesus and He had been teaching them. However, at this point of time, it seems Jesus forgets the crowd, goes up to Levi and tells him, “Follow Me”. It is also interesting to note that Levi immediately gets up, leaves everything and follows Jesus. Why is it that Levi immediately leaves? Perhaps some of us would square accounts, taken care of the money and then followed. Perhaps on the other hand, like many sinners, Levi was trapped in a situation of sin (maybe it is of their own making or sometimes they fall unwittingly into the trap). Perhaps he had long been praying (like the lost sheep that bleats for the Master) to be saved from the trap that he has fallen in. Jesus comes to save this man. The man does not wait for a second calling. Indeed many sinners and even people of other faiths, and at many retreat centers, as we have seen respond to but one call from the Master. They are willing to leave their sinful habits. They make a clean break with the past and are renewed. Compare this with many of us, whom the Lord is calling repeatedly, and we seem to say, “Not now. Maybe later, I shall give up by bad and sinful habits”. Next, we also ask ourselves why did Jesus go to eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners? Compare this with many “so-called” righteous communities and sects who are often even “gated” and do not even want to have dealings with the rest of the world. Jesus is once again showing through His actions that He is God, that He is Emmanuel – “God is with us”. God wants to be among his people, and so those who claim to be following the Lord, must also be ready to be where the Lord is – namely serving and helping those in sin to get out of their miserable situation. Jesus hates the sin, but loves the sinners, and wants to call them to repentance. It is also interesting to note that in Scripture that it is often the sinner and also those among the “least”, who when Jesus touches and heals them, they invite others among their friends to experience Jesus. Here is Levi, inviting his friends perhaps to dinner, but more important to hear Jesus’ gracious words. Compare this with others – Jairus (whose daughter Jesus raised from the dead) and we do not see any such gesture of inviting friends and others to come and meet and experience Jesus. Worse still, when Simon the Pharisee invites Jesus, he does not even offer basic expected courtesies to Jesus. It is also possible, that if these people had gone to the temple or the synagogue, the so-called righteous people would have insulted them, and perhaps not allowed them to enter. Hence, Jesus chooses to go to them. The message of the Good News must be given to people in a setting where they can receive it. In some places around the world, perhaps it is not possible to go to church (for various reasons). In such cases, the Church and its leaders go out to the people, maybe in their place of work and recreation etc. Finally, Jesus’ words “I have come not for the righteous, but for sinners” is also very important. Many people (and even communities and sects) consider themselves sinless and righteous. However, perhaps in doing so, are they saying they do not want and have no need of Jesus? This is because Jesus says that He has come for sinners. Indeed, very often during preaching and sermons, we find people saying, “That was indeed a very good sermon. My spouse / children / in-laws / neighbors / boss should have heard it”. What we are saying is that they are sinners, and we are not. Perhaps we too are telling Jesus, “Please go to the others, please do not waste time with me”. If this is the case, we perhaps need to rethink our relationship with God. We need to acknowledge our guilt and sinfulness, and ask for His healing and grace in our lives.
Posted on: Sat, 18 Jan 2014 04:40:03 +0000
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