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Calling the Physician
Jun
8
Written by:
Sunday, June 08, 2008
10th Sunday Ordinary Time
June 8, 2008
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 9:12-13
The call of Matthew, the tax collector, to be a disciple was a real shock to the religious leaders of the day, for one could not be in that profession and remain a good Jew. This was because tax collectors like Matthew worked for the hated Romans and cooperated in oppressing their fellow citizens; moreover, most tax collectors were corrupt. Anything they could collect above the required amount they got to keep for themselves. Then, to top it all off, Jesus readily went to dinner with Matthew's corrupt friends, a group most observant Jews wouldn't be caught dead with.
Jesus explains his seemingly strange behavior by quoting a common proverb: the healthy don't need a doctor, but a sick person does. This one statement tells us so much about Our Lord! What is truly amazing about this story is that the greater our sins have been, the more Our Lord is attracted to us! After all, it was the self-righteous that condemned Jesus to death. They had no need of him. But a person who has sinned, and has been forgiven, appreciates Our Lord, and will always be grateful.
When you look closely at the gospels, you can see that from the beginning to the end, Jesus is surrounded by notorious sinners like Mary Magdalene and common fishermen like St. Peter, whom he chose to lead the Church! The greater our sins have been, the more claim we have on the mercy of God. It is not an accident that the first person that went to heaven was a thief who deserved to be crucified! Another name for God is mercy.
Of course, in order to take advantage of Our Lord's mercy in this life, we have to know that we need mercy. There is only one kind of sin that Our Lord cannot forgive, and that is when we do not ask for his forgiveness! I think sometimes the worst crises in our lives are intended to help us understand how very dependent on God we really are. Time and time again, when a Christian is at the bottom of the well or the end of his or her rope, we will find the Lord waiting there for us. He is always waiting to show us mercy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Father Gary
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