JESUS’ TABLE OF GRACE: CALLING SINNERS TO FREEDOM AND LIBERATION: REFLECTION ON MARK 2:13-17.

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St Mark begins today’s Gospel by saying that “Jesus walked along the sea”. As he walked along, a crowd gathered around him. The evangelist’s mention of the crowd shows that Jesus’ presence embodied a message of love, hope and redemption that resonated deeply with common people, many of whom were burdened by life’s struggles. The found in Jesus what they were in search of. We too can have similar experience when we approach Him with faith.

          The evangelist also notes that “Jesus taught the crowd”. While Mark doesn’t specify the content of Jesus’ teaching here, it is crucial to recognize that Jesus often dedicated significant time to this mission of teaching.  He provided us with a unique and complete revelation of God, humanity, and creation. His teachings, revolutionary for their time, challenged societal norms and religious dogmas. Jesus’ teachings remain relevant today, especially in a society grappling with the meaning of life.

          Understanding the truth about God, as revealed by Jesus, is crucial for us. In an era dominated by the tyranny of relativism, where subjective truths often try to overshadow the truth of the Gospel or water it down, Jesus’ teachings remind us that only the Truth will set us free. And for us Christians, Truth is not an ideology, opinion, propaganda; it is a person: Christ Jesus himself (cf. John 14:6). He offers us foundations upon which we can build our lives, values, and decisions, and be able to counter the chaos of moral relativism with the stability of Divine Truth.

This mission of truth revelation initiated by Jesus was quite huge, and so it’s not a surprise to observe that often in the Gospel, He travelled extensively, preaching the Good News through words and actions.  It is probably for this reason that He said to the teacher of the Law who wanted to follow him: “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head” (cf. Mt 8:20). Jesus deemed it necessary to associate to His mission some men whom he chose according to the divine plan.

Today’s Gospel is essentially about the call of Levi, also known as Mathew. He is presented as son of Alphaeus and tax collector. Mark’s mention of Levi’s occupation is quite significant. Tax collectors during the Roman occupation were viewed as collaborators with the oppressive foreign power, thus traitors to their own people. Consequently, they were often mentioned alongside sinners, as seen in today’s Gospel.   

The fact that Jesus not only called a sinner to be His apostle but also dined with him and his friends is quite revealing about who he is. This scene reveals to us Jesus radical inclusivity and His mission to bring redemption to all, irrespective of their societal status or past transgressions.  This act was a powerful message against the prevailing social norms and religious elitism.

Levi was transformed by the love Jesus showed him. His conversion was not a precondition to follow Jesus but a consequence of his discovery of being loved freely and unconditionally. He followed Jesus immediately because something essential was lacking in his life. This Gospel underlines the call to embrace all individuals with love and compassion. While the Pharisees were concerned with maintaining religious purity and social order, Jesus was focused on healing, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal. 

Jesus challenges us to look beyond societal labels and see the inherent worth in every person. He invites us to seek heart transformation through genuine love for others. Jesus’ approach in todays Gospel really challenges our perception and attitudes towards those we might be tempted to label as “sinners”.  We can contemplate His gaze of love when we recognize our need for salvation.  May this new year help us grow in awareness of our need for liberation from sin, and enable us to fully experience the heavenly banquet, of which the Eucharist is the foretaste.  

 


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