“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”
Daily Reflections
Friday, 7th July 2017,
Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Gen 23:1-4,19, 24:1-8,62-67;
Ps 105: 1-5;
Mt 9: 9-13
SINNER WELCOMED WITH MERCY
Imagine a doctor who had no interest in people who were sick, instead was interested only in people who had good health. He would have very little to do since healthy people do not usually need to doctor. This is the argument Christ uses in today’s Gospel when he was attacked for being friendly with sinners. It would have been a waste for him to come on earth if he was not going to do something to reconcile sinful man with his Father. And we know how successful he was as in this instance, where not only the sinner was converted, but later became the Apostle Matthew.
What was it in Christ that drew sinners to him? It was the evident love that he had for people and the mercy he showed. Where the self-righteous Pharisees rushed in to condemn, Christ looked for the good in every person and found that people responded to his loving approach. Christ did not come for those who considered themselves just, but rather, he came to call sinners to freedom from sin and to turn them towards God, and he did so by being one with them.
Jesus did not come for the “righteous” but came for “sinners.” Jesus by saying this is also addressing the ‘righteous’ attitude of the Pharisees. Sadly, the sin of the Pharisees was of a far graver nature than the sins of the tax collectors and the other sinners who came to Jesus. The Pharisees were guilty of the sin of spiritual pride and were sinning by presuming that they were righteous. When one fails to see their sin, God cannot forgive them since they do not repent. Though this is a powerful condemnation of the Pharisees and others who are guilty of being self-righteous, it is also an invitation from Jesus to all who readily admit their sin. When we can humble ourselves before the perfection of God and see our sins in the light of His glory, we will be tempted to despair and feel shame for our sin. But shame will turn into joy and freedom when we allow our Lord to act as the Divine Physician in our lives. The purpose of His earthly life was to bring healing to our wounds of sin. When we realize how His perfect mercy perfectly heals us, we will readily run to Him.
Prayer: Lord, I turn to You in my need and admit my sin and guilt. I am sorry for having offended You and I know that You are the one and only answer for my sin. Please have mercy on me, dear Lord, and forgive me for all my sin. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.