As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples. The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mt 9:9-13)
The Call of Matthew gives hope to all of us, especially when Jesus sits at table in Matthew’s home with the tax collectors and sinners. The eating and drinking with sinners is probably the oldest memory the church has of the Eucharist. The good news is that Jesus still invites us to sit at his table. As Pope Francis recently said, he has never refused communion to anyone. Neither has the Lord.
