The Holy Gospel according to Matthew 9:9-13
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.”
Reflection: There is something deeply human about this Gospel. It is not just a story about religion and its rules. It is a story about what it feels like to be seen, especially when other people have already decided who they think you are. Sure, it’s easy to love or care for someone that you know. But what about the minimalized, the marginalized, the demonized, the voiceless? It’s not so easy when people are judging you. Especially when you know what is right.
Then Jesus comes by. He does not begin with a lecture. He does not start by naming everything Matthew has done wrong. He simply sees him and invites him: “Follow me.” That kind of invitation can change a person. Not because it ignores the truth, but because it reaches deeper than the label.
I think many of us know what it feels like to be reduced to one part of our story. Maybe it is a mistake we made. Maybe it is a reputation we carry. Maybe it is something people assume about us before they ever sit down and listen. And when that happens, what we often need most is not someone standing far away with judgment, but someone willing to come close with compassion.
That is what stands out in this passage. Jesus moves toward the people others are uncomfortable being around. He sits at the table with them. He shares space with them. He lets himself be associated with people who were easy to criticize and easy to exclude.
And honestly, that is where the Gospel becomes very practical. It is easy to care for the people we already know. It is easy to love the people who love us back. It is easy to serve when it feels safe, familiar, and accepted by everyone around us. But compassion asks more of us than comfort does.
That is exactly the tension in the story. The Pharisees see Jesus at the table and question why He would eat with tax collectors and sinners. In other words, they are asking, “Why would you associate yourself with them?” It is a question that still shows up today, even if we ask it more quietly.
Jesus answers by talking about healing. He says that those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. And that image is important because healing does not usually happen from a distance. Healing happens through presence. Through patience. Through relationship. Through someone being willing to sit close enough to care. So maybe the invitation for us is simple: to notice who we have stopped noticing. To ask who we have quietly written off. To think about the people we have kept outside the circle because of fear, judgment, discomfort, or reputation.
And maybe today, the challenge is not to do something dramatic. Maybe it is to move a little closer. To listen before labeling. To choose mercy before judgment. To make room at the table for someone who has been left outside. It’s about reaching out and giving them a hand.
Action of the Day: In prayer, ask God, what is it that you need me to do? Also ask him to allow you to look past judgment from others. Allow yourself to be merciful to strangers.
Audio Reflection:
