Gospel: Mark 2:13-17

13 Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them.

14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus.

15 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him.

16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

17 Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Reflection:

“I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

This is what our Gospel for today is all about. Jesus wants us sinners to leave behind our bad deeds and come to Him and follow Him. What did He mean when He said those words? It means that those who are already good will go to heaven with Him but He does not want to leave behind the sinners.

Who are the sinners that Jesus meant in His words? We are the sinners who He is calling. Jesus put His trust in us that we will go back to Him in the soonest. He lives with us because He wants us to realize that sin will make us fall into the pit of fire in hell.

As daughters and sons of Christ Jesus, it is our main goal to be with Him in heaven. How will we be able to do this if we keep on failing God here on earth because of our sins? The answer is simple: live and die for Jesus. Living a life here is not only eating three times a day and breathing but it is doing good deeds and helping others.

Jesus is a fisherman and He fishes people to come to Him and be with Him. This is the meaning of “many are called but few are chosen”. Jesus wants us to follow Him but we make our separate ways from Him and sin. We forgot to think of the salvation of our own souls.

The saints belong to those Jesus called the righteous. They are those who live here on earth with holiness and virtue. They are those who suffer in this life because they want to follow Jesus. We sinners are what Jesus needs to fish in this life. Now it is up to us if we care for our souls.

Let us start this year by doing charity and helping others. We need to look after one another and live in Christ alone. – Clea | Helpline PH