In today’s moving gospel passage of the call of Mathew, or Levi, we see the beginnings of a conversion. Matthew leaves everything behind and follows Jesus. But because of the great mercy and love Jesus has shown, he wishes to throw a feast for the Lord.
Seeing what’s occurred, the Pharisees and scribes respond from a place of criticism and judgment. “You can judge a man by the company he keeps,” they seem to say. What they are unable to see are the movements within the heart of Matthew and other tax collectors. In the hardness of hearts of the Pharisees, there is a sense of right and wrong, but no hope for any change.
Jesus responds, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.”
Were they able to see their hardness of heart, their self-righteousness and their hopelessness as a sickness from which they needed healing?
We do not know. But we may examine our own hearts to see if we ever fall into these sins. With Christ our divine physician, there is always hope and healing.