Matthew 9:7-11: a reflection

7He arose and departed to his house. 8But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. 9As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him. 10As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

As Jesus passes by, he sees Matthew, a tax collector, sitting at his tax booth, a man despised by his own people as a collaborator and a sinner. And Jesus says to him simply, Follow me; and Matthew rises and follows. Then Jesus goes to dine at Matthew's house, where many tax collectors and sinners gather at the table with him. The Pharisees are scandalized: Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But Jesus called and welcomed exactly these, drawing near to the sinners and outcasts the religious despised.

Notice whom Jesus called and welcomed: the tax collector and the sinner, those the religious despised. He did not call Matthew despite his being a despised sinner, and welcome him grudgingly; he called him freely, and gladly sat at table with tax collectors and sinners, drawing near to the very people the righteous kept at a distance. The Pharisees kept such people away, scandalized to be near them; but Jesus called and welcomed them, sharing their table. He came near to sinners and outcasts, calling them to himself rather than keeping them at arm's length.

That is worth taking to heart, for it means Christ welcomes sinners and outcasts, and we, being such, may come to him. We can imagine that we are too sinful, too much the outcast, for Christ to call and welcome us; but Jesus called Matthew the tax collector and gladly sat with sinners, drawing near to exactly such as we are. Christ does not keep sinners at a distance; he calls and welcomes them, as he called Matthew and dined with sinners. Do not imagine yourself too sinful or too much the outcast for Christ to welcome; he calls and welcomes sinners, as he called the despised tax collector and sat at table with sinners. Come to Christ, who welcomes sinners and outcasts, drawing near to exactly the kind the religious despised, as he called Matthew and ate with tax collectors and sinners; for he came to call not the righteous but sinners, and welcomes such as we are.

Lord Jesus, as you pass by, you see Matthew, a tax collector, sitting at his tax booth, a man despised by his own people as a collaborator and a sinner. And you say to him simply, Follow me; and Matthew rises and follows. Then you go to dine at Matthew's house, where many tax collectors and sinners gather at the table with you. The Pharisees are scandalized: why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners? But you called and welcomed exactly these, drawing near to the sinners and outcasts the religious despised. Show me whom you called and welcomed: the tax collector and the sinner, those the religious despised. You did not call Matthew grudgingly; you called him freely, and gladly sat at table with sinners, drawing near to the very people the righteous kept at a distance. You came near to sinners and outcasts, calling them to yourself. Take that to my heart, for it means you welcome sinners and outcasts, and I, being such, may come to you. I can imagine that I am too sinful, too much the outcast, for you to call and welcome me; but you called Matthew and gladly sat with sinners, drawing near to exactly such as I am. You do not keep sinners at a distance; you call and welcome them. Keep me from imagining myself too sinful or too much the outcast for you to welcome; you call and welcome sinners, Lord. Help me come to you, who welcome sinners and outcasts, as you called Matthew and ate with sinners; for you came to call not the righteous but sinners, and welcome such as I am.