A Look That Transforms a Life (Luke 5:27-32)

             

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Peace and Love of Christ be with you all!!!

Today we meditate on the call of Levi,  a tax collector, a man of means, yet despised by his people. His profession placed him among the rich, but his heart may have been burdened by something missing, something no amount of wealth could satisfy. Then one day, Jesus passed by, looked at him, and said two simple words: "Follow me." And Levi left everything, his profession, his security, his old way of life, and followed.

What was it about that moment that changed everything?

Perhaps it was the way Jesus looked at him. Not a glance of condemnation like the ones he received daily, but a gaze that pierced through the walls he had built around himself. A look that saw beyond his compromises, beyond his wealth, beyond his sins, into the deep longing of his soul. That look must have told Levi, “I see you, and I still want you.”

Maybe he had heard whispers of Jesus before, stories of this Rabbi who dined with sinners, who healed the unclean, who spoke of a love deeper than law and a mercy that rewrote destinies. Or maybe, deep within him, there was a hunger he could no longer ignore, a restlessness that no coin could silence, a thirst for meaning that no earthly security could quench.

And so, Levi responded.

His response was immediate. No calculations, no delays. He left everything behind and followed. This was not just a change of career; it was a complete transformation of identity. A man once defined by money and power became a disciple of grace. From the table where he once collected taxes he moved to a table of fellowship, where he invited Jesus to dine with him and his fellow sinners. What a communion of love! Is this not what God want to do with each of us, establish a personal relationship, dine with us? Think about what happens in the Eucharist.

 

A Story That Mirrors Our Own

Levi’s story is our story. We, too, are sinners, some weighed down by past mistakes, others settled in our routines yet restless within. The same Jesus who looked at Levi looks at us. He does not see us merely as we are but as we can become in His love. He does not define us by our failures, weaknesses, or the labels placed upon us. Instead, He calls us to something greater.

“Follow me.”

While reflecting on these words, I was reminded of the social media experience. Today, many people, artists, athletes, and celebrities, have what we “followers.” There is nothing wrong with admiring others for their talents. However, if following them draws us away from God or weakens our love for Him, then something is amiss.

How often do we hesitate when Jesus calls? How often do we try to negotiate with grace, clinging to fragments of our old lives? Yet His call is not a burden but an invitation to freedom. True discipleship is not about perfection but about being willing to be seen, loved, and transformed.

But Jesus’ call demands everything, not as a burden, but as an invitation to freedom. True discipleship is not about being perfect; it is about being willing to be seen, loved, and transformed.

Like Levi, Jesus invites us to His table, not as strangers or outcasts, but as friends. He does not call the righteous, but sinners. This means that none of us are excluded. No past is too broken, no sin too great. His mercy reaches us where we are and leads us into the fullness of life.

So today, as Jesus passes by, looking into our hearts, may we have the courage to rise, leave behind what holds us back, and follow Him into a life of grace and mission. For in His gaze, we find our true identity.

 

 

 

Prayer of Surrender

Lord Jesus,
You see me not only as I am, but as I can become in Your love.
You call me, just as You called Levi,
not because I am worthy, but because You are merciful.

Give me the courage to rise and follow You,
leaving behind all that holds me back.
Free me from hesitation, from fear, and from the voices
that define me by my past rather than by Your grace.

Let my heart be wholly Yours,
my steps guided by Your truth,
and my life a reflection of Your transforming love.

Amen.