Gospel
Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
Then Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house,
and a large crowd of tax collectors
and others were at table with them.
The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples, saying,
“Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus said to them in reply,
“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
It is common for many people to walk around thinking that they are not saints. Many who don’t profess to follow Jesus don’t think they are worthy to follow him at all. They have not been told about the love of God’s for all people and that they indeed are loved. No matter what the world around them says.
They don’t need to be rich. They don’t need to have their own brand. They don’t even have to have a social media presence. God loves those and all people. Even in our sin and choice to live by the world standards… we are still loved.
God wants all people to convert and live eternally. No one is rejected. Not the thief. Not the immoral woman. Not the tax collector who was shunned.
Not even you and me. For we are all sinners. We all fail to do what we know is right. The goal is to continue to follow Jesus, to get better at not sinning and better at doing what we know is right and righteous.
We are not in a position to condemn anyone. But we are in a position to show others the love of Jesus. We all encounter people who don’t know they are loved and don’t know that he still loves them and us. We are called to open our hearts to others through the Holy Spirit working in us. People around us are dying to know his love and joy.
Deacon Tony Pynes 
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