With tax collectors and sinners?

Heb 4,12-16; Ps 18; Mk 2,13-17
19 JANUARY0819
The scribes of the Pharisees have a very strange way of reading, interpreting, understanding and teaching Scripture. They ignore that Wisdom does not invite the saints, but the inexperienced, the deprived of sense and those who live without any truth, to its banquet.

Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven columns; She has dressed her meat, mixed her wine, yes, she has spread her table. She has sent out her maidens; she calls from the heights out over the city: “Let whoever is simple turn in here; to him who lacks understanding, I say, Come, eat of my food, and drink of the wine I have mixed! Forsake foolishness that you may live; advance in the way of understanding (Pr 9,1-6).

They do not even know that the Lord, by means of his prophet, calls to eat good and succulent things those who spent their money for what is not worth and for what does not satisfy. He invite to the banquet of his Word those who live without it.

All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; Come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread; your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, So shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, Because of the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; Let him turn to the Lord for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord (Is 55,1-8).

Nor do they know that prophets are not sent by God to find the righteous, but sinners. Ezekiel is sent by a genie of rebels, to a people hard to be converted.

Son of man, stand up! I wish to speak with you. As he spoke to me, spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard the one who was speaking say to me: Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day. Hard of face and obstinate of heart are they to whom I am sending you. But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord God! And whether they heed or resist – for they are a rebellious house – they shall know that a prophet has been among them. But as for you, son of man, fear neither them nor their words when they contradict you and reject you, and when you sit on scorpions. Neither fear their words nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. (But speak my words to them, whether they heed or resist, for they are rebellious.) As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you: be not rebellious like this house of rebellion, but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you. It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me, in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me. It was covered with writing front and back, and written on it was: Lamentation and wailing and woe! (Ez 2,1-10).

Jesus says of himself that He is the doctor for every man. The doctor does not go to treat the healthy, but the sick. That doctor who devoted his care to the saints and abandoned the sick would be really foolish. Jesus must cure sinners and not the righteous ones.

Once again he went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, 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 sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them (that), “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

The scribes of the Pharisees are the cloaked folly of religiosity. Theirs is a very dangerous religiosity, because it is ready to destroy what is born of true faith in Scripture, but also in the actual Word of God given through his prophets.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that our religiosity is very pure obedience.