The Call to Sinners

Gospel: Luke 5: 27-32

In today's Gospel portion Jesus states that he came to call sinners, not the self-righteous.  He states that sinners are the ones in need of a doctor while the self-righteous do not.  This exhortation takes place in the context of him calling the tax collector Levi to follow him.  There was no pre-condition or set of requirements Levi needed to accomplish before accepting the invitation.  Jesus simply invited him, and Levi left his taxing post to do so.  

The self-righteous Pharisees object.  Jesus had not called them to follow him.  Actually, he had, but they are unable to hear it, for the self-righteous cannot see themselves as sinners.  In their eyes they can do no wrong at all; they have nothing to change, nothing to reform, nothing to repent of.  They are incapable of self-reflection or examination of conscience.  They are only able to judge others.  For them, everyone else is the problem, everyone else has to change and conform to their way of thinking and doing.  

We began Lent by putting on ashes.  We did so in order to acknowledge our sins, to recognize our status at sinners in need of God's mercy.  Some, however, donned ashes as performative art, putting their pictures with ashes on social media for all to see.  To follow Jesus is to acknowledge our need for mercy, and then to be that mercy of God for others in the world, bringing healing to the wounded, liberation to the oppressed, and nourishment to the hungry in humble service.