Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him. Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
REFLECTION
Do you think the Pharisees understood Jesus when he said, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
What does this mean to me?
If we look at what happened in Luke just before this, we see that Jesus forgave sins and healed the paralytic. Here the Pharisees question Jesus in their hearts. After Jesus healed the paralytic and forgave his sins, Luke 5:26 states, “Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, ‘We have seen incredible things today’."
They were all amazed. So now maybe the Pharisees will get it and try to understand. However, as I read the passage from today’s Gospel, Luke 5:27-32, they still question Jesus.
I recently watched the movie, “Restless Heart: The Confessions of Augustine”. In this movie St. Augustine shares his journey toward the “Truth”. It is very entertaining, and as I watched, I could see the change in how St. Augustine would think when in different situations. He was very sure in what he would say and do even though these things were sinful and bad. But as time went on, Augustine started to see the consequences of his actions and words. It is almost as if at some point he finally realized there was something wrong with what he was doing. Because of this point of realization and his repentance, he had a conversion. There were other people who were instrumental in helping St. Augustine to find his way to Jesus. These people were treated very poorly by Augustine but they held firm to Jesus and prayed for him.
I think we are all sick with sins. Jesus came for all of us. Even the people that hurt us.
A PAPA tool that can help us to stay strong in times that are hard is PSB (Pray, Serve, Bless), Pray for all, Serve Jesus Christ in everyone, and Bless everyone.
I pray that each of us today will be blessed with a repentant heart and the graces necessary for conversion.
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