25/02/23 | Reflection 1730 | Br Ashwin Lakra OP | Luke 5:27-32
My dear brothers and sisters, Today’s gospel speaks about Jesus’ mission. After healing the paralytic man, Jesus went out and on his way he saw a tax collector named Levi and called him and he left everything and followed him. In today’s gospel Jesus tells us two important points:- 1.) Follow me 2.) I have not come to call the just but sinners for repentance. As we here in the gospel Jesus emphasizes on the 1st point “Follow me”. Jesus calls a (despised, put down, outcast etc.) tax collector who was despised and he responds wholeheartedly. Here wholeheartedly means his attitude, his trust is no more on material things, money etc. but rather on Jesus. As we read in the gospel of St. Luke 14:33 “None of you may become my disciple, if you do not give up everything you have.” Yes, it is true and at the same time it is tough task but, Levi succeeded in this task and radically followed Him. Now, let us reflect on the 2nd point. Jesus says, “I have not come to call the just, but sinners for repentance.” In this parable, we see a change of heart of St. Matthew. He left behind everything and accepted the risk of losing everything. He experienced that, Jesus removed his yoke of sin, guided him, strengthened him, and rebuilt the ruins. Jesus has done it, in the life of St. Matthew, because he faithfully followed him and was ready to take up his cross. As we read in the gospel of St. Matthew 10:38, “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” We can see that the call to be a disciple is attracting Matthew towards Jesus and thus there was a change in his heart. So my dear brothers and sisters, all of us are called to be the true disciple of Christ by renouncing sin and witnessing him through our words and our lives. So, let us ask through the intercession of Blessed Virgin Mary, the grace to have a change of heart and follow Jesus in order to be like Christ. Amen. God Bless.
