Homily For Saturday after Ash Wednesday, 17th February, 2024

Readings: Is. 58:9-14; Ps. 86;  Luke 5:27-32

Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

 

THE LORD HAS COME NOT FOR THE VIRTUOUS BUT FOR SINNERS TO REPENT

 

Jesus who on account of his mission to save humanity had to make choices of people who would be his instruments of evangelization in the world. No doubt Jesus had been calling people from different works of life to be part of his mission, but today’s call and choice of Levi, also known as Matthew, a man identified with sinners because of his work as a tax collector, was quite strange to some people.

 

Little wonder in in our Gospel passage today, Jesus called a tax collector named Levi to follow him, and he obeyed, leaving everything behind and following him. The call of Levi differs from the call of the other apostles because Levi was a tax collector a profession that is labelled to be sinful since the collectors extort excess taxes from the people for personal profit and enrich themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens. They are thus held in great contempt.

 

However, to follow Jesus, Levi must abandon his ugly but lucrative job. By so doing, he needs to also cut himself off from his old network of friends. So, it seems likely that, in a spirit of joy, Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to a great feast in his house and his fellow task collectors were present. But the Pharisees felt bad and offended about Jesus sharing a meal with such kind of people regarded as "sinners". So, they complained to his disciples, but Jesus had to correct this notion when he said: "It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance. 

 

Here we heard the innermost desire of Jesus for sinful humanity in need of salvation. The call of Levi is like the call of each of us, a choice that demonstrates Jesus' desire for sinners to repent. For all he desires is mercy and not sacrifices, repentance and not pride. Jesus is calling us to repentance, he is inviting us to make a fundamental choice for God just like Levi, who though sinner, rose and followed Jesus at his call for repentance, we too are to respond to this invitation without delay. Let Levi be an inspiration and hope for all sinners.

 

Dear friends, the task collectors were seen as dirty, unworthy, wicked, corrupt and evil people who were generally shunned by the rest of the society. The Pharisees looked down on them and they severely criticized Jesus for eating in the house of Levi. But they failed to realize that just like the tax collectors, they were sinners in need of God’s mercy.

 

The truth is that all of us are sinners who have been privileged to have such a loving, caring, compassionate and merciful God, who is always willing to embrace us and heal us from our afflictions of sin. For we are sinners who have been called to a new existence with God, to embrace a new life filled with God’s grace and free from the corruption of sin. Because God despises our sins, but not we sinners. Hence, we are called to let go of our sinful occupation in order to embrace a more glorious one. For God has promised us through prophet Isaiah in our first reading, that if we do away with the yoke of sin, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if we give our bread to the hungry, and relief to the oppressed, then our light will rise in the darkness, and our shadows become like noon.

 

Therefore, as Christians during this season of Lent, we should draw ourselves closer to God by asking ourselves how are we responding to God's call for repentance. How are we relating with those we judge to be sinners, what efforts are we making to convert sinners? Remember, we are all invited to follow Jesus along the way of salvation and not to condemn or judge anyone.

 

LET US PRAY: Lord God, despite our sinfulness, you called and chose us to be instrument of your salvation to all humanity. Through the intercession of St Matthew, give us the grace to make good choices that will help us to respond positively to your call for repentance and evangelization. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a fruitful weekend.