Friday – 13th Week in Ordinary Time  7/1/22

Gospel –  Matthew 9:9-13

Hospitality Part 2

Old Market, Jerusalem

What a difference a few days make!  Last Thursday we read about a Pharisee inviting Jesus to dinner and the atmosphere was anything but hospitable; in fact, it was downright unfriendly.  And then today Jesus basically invites Himself to dinner at the house of Matthew.  Yes, he was a Jew but he was also a tax collector.  That meant he took money from his own people and handed it over to the enemy- the Romans.  And he probably kept some of the money for himself.  He was considered a traitor by his fellow Jews; he would have been despised and shunned.

And yet Jesus invites Himself to Matthew’s home for dinner.  And amazingly, or maybe not, other tax collectors and sinners joined the meal.  Jesus explains to the Pharisees that He hasn’t come for the righteous but for the sinners. In fact, Matthew’s Gospel has this recurring theme of Jesus calling sinners to Himself and offering mercy.

Consider what a ragtag group of misfits are at this dinner – Jesus, Matthew, other tax collectors, sinners and the disciples. Yes even the disciples – a group of farmers, fishermen, illiterates, one who will betray Him, one who will deny Him 3 times, one who will doubt His Resurrection, and 2 who are so concerned with their status in the group that their mom insists they get special seating in the Kingdom.  It makes you wonder what sort of vetting process there was to become a disciple!

But they all do have one thing in common – they are all sinners and they are all in need of mercy and forgiveness.  So say we all!  We are all sinners; we have all fallen time and time again.  And every time Jesus offers us mercy and forgiveness.  Every time we falter He offers us a chance to return to the table of the Lord.  His love is endless and so is His mercy.

Great Spirit, help me today to remove my doubts, especially my doubts about myself.  Help me to see the path to You and give me the strength and the faith to follow it.

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