Daily Mass Reflections - 1/19/19
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.” ~ Hebrews 4:15
In today’s 1st Reading, Saint Paul reminds us that we should always approach the throne of God’s grace with great confidence. We will always be granted mercy and whatever divine gifts we are in need of at the moment, for God’s Son, by virtue of the fact that he walked among us and is therefore no stranger to the allure of sin, was sent as an act of mercy and a fountain of grace.
Sinfulness takes center stage in today’s Gospel as well (Mark 2:13-17), wherein Jesus calls Levi, the crooked tax collector, to follow him. Follow him he does, to a place where they would share a meal together. This of course perplexes and ultimately infuriates the Pharisees, who cannot for the life of them understand why Jesus would choose to dine with tax collectors and other assorted sinners and miscreants.
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.” Jesus teaches them, going on to say “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." Jesus did not sugarcoat his description of the man who would go on to become Matthew the Apostle. He called him precisely what he was, a sinner. But of course we are all sinners. He calls each of us as he called Matthew, with the same simple command: “Follow me.” We are called to repent and be healed of the sicknesses of hatred, dishonesty, disobedience, false worship and the other maladies that cripple, disable and ultimately preclude us from being the genuine and complete children of God we are all called to be.
“Lord, I am a sinner. I need and want Your forgiveness. I accept Your death as the penalty for my sin, and recognize that Your mercy and grace is a gift You offer to me because of Your great love, not based on anything I have done. Cleanse me and make me Your child. By faith I receive You into my heart as the Son of God and as Savior and Lord of my life. From now on, help me live for You, with You in control. In Your precious name” ~ Amen
