Why was Jesus willing to eat with sinners?
by VP
Posted on Friday October 29, 2021 at 12:00AM in Sermons
"That He might use the occasion to convert them by giving His doctrine as food for their souls.
Well would it be for us, if at our meals, instead of vain and often quarrelsome conversation, we were to speak of God and sacred things, thus gaining souls for God, and promoting His honor. St. Dionysius says, among all good things which are agreeable to God, the greatest and, so to say, most god-like, is to aid in the conversion of sinners.
Who are those in health, who the sick, who the physician?
Those in health are the just who live in the grace of God. O what a valuable life is this, and what great care is required to preserve it! The sick are the sinners, for every sin makes the soul unclean, wounds and even kills it, that is, robs it of the grace and good will of God, in which consists the spiritual life of the soul. How detestable, then, is sin, which deprives us of our greatest good! The physician is Christ of whom it is said in Psalm cvi.20.: He sent this word, and healed them. If you have sinned, go to the Physician to be healed that you may regain the health of the soul.
Why does Christ say: I will have mercy and not sacrifice?
Because the Pharisees valued external sacrifice, and thought if they offered it frequently, that they were already pleasing to God, even though they showed no mercy and struggled not against their corrupt inclinations to anger, envy, malice, and pride. The sacrifice of our prayers, our good works and mortifications, will not please God, unless they proceed from pure love of Him.
What did Christ mean by saying: I am not come to call the just, but sinners:
Ss. Hilary, Jerome, and Venerable Bede understand the former to be the Pharisees, who pretended to be just in all things, and would not listen to the voice of Jesus, even if He had called them; Jesus knowing this, called those whom the Pharisees regarded as very great sinners who, however, humbly heard and followed His call.
Source: Explanation of the Epistles and Gospel by Rev. Leonard Goffine page 879 (Gospel St. Matthew ic. 9-13)
