And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in
Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why is it, that your master
eats with sinners and tax collectors?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people
do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go, and find out what this means:
What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.

Reflect

“A life with God.” When Jesus calls, he calls people to a changed life. Jesus always calls
us to move away from a life of sin to a life with God. Jesus does not care about
our past. Jesus summons us to conversion because he cares about our relationship with
him from this time onward to eternity. Today’s Gospel narrates the call of Matthew
who was a tax collector. The Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke identify the apostle
Matthew as Levi (cf. Mk. 2:13- 17; Lk. 5:27-28). Jesus called him from his custom-post.
His office at the custom-post symbolizes his old life which was characterized by cheating
and corruption. Jesus called him to a new life. His old life was sick and rotten.
He responded and never looked back. Jesus called him to a changed life, to a life
with God. It is a life that refuses to give in to the temptation of cheating. It is a life that
refuses to participate in any form of corruption.

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