Jesus supports our common humanity

Good morning, happy Monday, and many blessings.

In this Gospel (Matthew 9:9-13) Jesus told the Pharisees to "Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'" Jesus' words express this principle: "Holy things are for unholy people because holy things sanctify unholy people. Holy things give God's mercy to unholy people." Christ has power not only to heal and forgive sins, but to sanctify—to make the unholy holy.

One of the most fascinating things for me about this story is not what is written but what isn’t written. And what isn’t written is that at no point did Jesus ask any of his guests to change: he just accepted them as they are. Think about the characters who are his guests…

First, there is Matthew himself. Matthew was a tax collector, working for the Roman authorities who didn’t pay him much and it was the custom of tax collectors to overcharge people and cream the profits off the top for themselves. So, Matthew would have been seen as socially and morally corrupt and would have made his living through defrauding others of money. But Jesus doesn’t ask him to change: he just says, “Follow me”. He doesn’t say, “You can only follow me if you give up your sinful lifestyle”: there are no conditions attached at all. Jesus just accepts Matthew exactly as he is and loves him as he is.

Second, we are told in verse 10 that there are sinners at the dinner table. But we are not told that Jesus is preaching at them, telling them to repent of their lifestyles. No – he is just hanging out with them, enjoying a dinner party with them; totally relaxed in the company of sinners. He doesn’t ask them to change. He doesn’t refuse to eat with them until they have repented. Jesus just accepts them as they are and loves them as they are.

Thirdly, we are told in verse 10 that Jesus’ disciples are at the dinner, and again, Jesus is perfectly comfortable with that. Too many churches, either consciously or subconsciously, encourage their members to only socialize with other Christians; to live in some sort of holy group as if mixing socially with non-Christians will somehow infect our spirituality. But Jesus’ approach is the complete opposite. He is quite happy to host a dinner party for tax collectors, sinners, and disciples - and he is quite happy for his disciples to mix socially with tax collectors and sinners.

There is something intensely ‘human’ about this passage - and Jesus is endorsing our common humanity; saints and sinners all in one place, all welcome at the Lord’s table.

We can only imagine what Jesus saw in Matthew, what it was that caused him to call him to be a disciple. Much as we would like to know, we trust Jesus. As I think of Jesus calling me, I like to think I know why. I pray that I may continue to follow Jesus – even when I am not sure what he has seen in me or how he is calling me to life.

Definitely, if I have had a true conversion with Jesus, no one has to ask me to change my life of sin. I am already convinced and converted that I must do it. What Jesus asks of us is that we simply accept people as they are and love them. From this love comes the change of conversion.

Today I invite you to reflect together on these three questions: What does it mean to follow Jesus as a disciple?  What does it mean to trust Jesus as a disciple?  What does it mean to obey Jesus as a disciple?

Blessings

Fr. Luis+