Today’s reading (Matthew 9:9-13) looks at the calling of Matthew (Levi), a tax collector who heeded the call to follow Jesus. As a tax collector, he was despised and disliked; religious people often disliked Jesus because he associated with ‘tax collectors and sinners.’ But Jesus reminded these judgmental people that God desires mercy, not sacrifice (see Hosea 6:6).
Sally Welch tells us, ‘It is easy to slip into what we must do to earn God’s favour, what sacrifice we must make in order to truly follow Christ.’ (‘Sharing The Easter Story’, P 139) We can easily start the Christian journey by faith in God’s grace, but sacrifice often becomes associated with trying to carry on in our own strength. ‘Jesus calls us to be merciful to ourselves and to others – to behave with compassion and forgiveness, tolerance and respect.’ (ibid., P 139) We no longer have to make sacrifices to earn God’s favour, because Christ’s sacrifice on the cross paid for sin once and for all. Therefore, we can focus on mercy today!
