The Call of Levi

Today's Reflections

January 14, 2012

St. Felix of Nola
Saturday of the First Week
GREEN

1 Sm 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1
Ps 21

Mk 2:13-17

The Call of Levi

¹³[Jesus] went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. ¹⁴As 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. ¹⁵While 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. ¹⁶Some 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?” ¹⁷Jesus 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.”

Reflection:

Follow me. Levi (named as Matthew in Mt 9:9) is a customs official, considered a traitor for collecting taxes for the hated Romans. He is an outcast, despised as a public sinner and disgraced along with his family. Jesus calls Levi, and the customs official gets up and follows Jesus or becomes his disciple. Then Jesus dines at Levi’s house, offering him and his fellow tax collectors fellowship and friendship.

The Pharisees object to Jesus’ table fellowship with public sinners. Jesus responds by declaring that, like a physician for the sick, he has come not for the self-righteous but for sinners. Jesus sets no conditions for meeting people and accepting them. All are shown compassion and given second chances.

Jesus walks and dines with us. He calls us to a new life of fellowship with him. He challenges us to share this friendship with others, especially with people in need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Recall when Jesus called you to follow him, and you got up to leave your old self behind. How can you help your loved ones to follow Jesus more closely?