Read Online
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” He
heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician,
but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire
mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but
sinners.” Matthew 9:11–13
Just prior to this passage quoted above, Jesus saw Matthew, a tax
collector, sitting at his custom post collecting taxes. Jesus
walked up to him and said two simple words: “Follow me.” What did
Matthew do? He got up and followed Jesus and invited Him to his
home for a meal. When the Pharisees saw this, they acted with
judgment and cruelty. They said, “Why does your teacher eat with
tax collectors and sinners?” Their reaction and Jesus’ subsequent
response to them says much about the goodness of our Lord.
When Jesus said that He “did not come to call the righteous but
sinners,” He was not speaking of the truly righteous. For example,
the most righteous person alive at that time, other than Jesus, was
His dear mother. And we can be certain that not only did Jesus call
her but that she always responded with her whole heart. However,
Jesus was speaking of those who were “self-righteous.” A
self-righteous person is one who thinks highly of themself,
ignoring the truth of God but choosing, instead, to elevate their
own image in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. Simply put,
to be self-righteous is to believe a lie and, in fact, to believe
the worst of lies. It’s the worst of lies because this sin has the
effect of causing a person to remain obstinate and stuck in their
sin. The self-righteous person does not see any need for repentance
or change in their life. Therefore, they are not open to the Word
of God and to allowing that Word to transform them.
Saint Matthew, whom we honor today, was different. He was a sinner
indeed. Most likely he was greedy and overly attached to his money.
Tax collectors were not highly regarded at that time because they
were Jews who worked for the Romans and were, therefore, seen as
traitors to their own people. Additionally, they were seen as
thieves, because they often extorted more than they should receive
so that they could pocket some of the money. For this reason, many
Jews also feared the tax collectors because they knew the tax
collectors had Rome’s support in this illicit activity.
What’s amazing is that Jesus approached Matthew, the sinner and tax
collector, and confidently called him to be a follower. Most
likely, Jesus could see into his heart. He knew Matthew was not
happy with his life and was searching for more. Therefore, as soon
as Jesus called him to follow Him, it is clear that something took
place within Matthew’s soul. The fact that he got up and followed
our Lord shows that the spiritual draw to Jesus was far more
powerful than his desire for earthly wealth.
This same truth applies to each and every one of us. No matter what
we find ourselves drawn to and no matter how we seek satisfaction
in life, the supernatural truth is that there is only one thing
that will satisfy. We could have all the money in the world, all
earthly power and prestige, and still, in the depths of our souls,
we will not find peace until we turn to Jesus and follow Him. Some
people learn this truth early in life, some later in life, and some
never discover it at all.
Reflect, today, upon how satisfied you are with your life. Is there
something missing? If so, look at your goals and priorities in
life. What do you spend most of your time thinking about, talking
about and daydreaming about? If it is not our Lord Who occupies
your mind, heart and every desire, then you can expect that you
will experience discontentment in life. In that case, look to the
witness of Saint Matthew. He is a saint today because he responded
to Jesus’ invitation to abandon his life of sin and greed so as to
follow Him in poverty. But in that worldly poverty and abandonment
of earthly things, Saint Matthew became abundantly rich and will
remain so forever in Heaven.
Lord of all satisfaction, You call all Your people to follow
You. Please open my mind and heart to that call so that I can not
only hear You but also respond with all my heart. Please help me to
detach from the things of this world that keep me from You, so that
I can follow You wherever You lead. Jesus, I trust in
You.
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2024 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.