Week 1 of Ordinary Time, Saturday – 18th January 2020 — Gospel: Mark 2:13-17
Celebrating the transformed life
Levi the tax collector who is looked down upon and counted among the sinners is being called by Jesus. In his spontaneous response, he went through conversion of his life. Jesus does see our social status. He sees only whether we are able to work in His vineyard or not. Levi was busy in his work as tax collector, in the same way as the first apostles were on the seashore. Jesus found him faithful in his work and calls him to follow. After embarking into a new way of life with Jesus, he invited Jesus, all his friends and fellow tax collectors to celebrate his transformation in life. In having meal with this tax collector, who is considered as social outcast, Jesus manifests his complete solidarity that embraces “to seek and to save the lost” (Lk 19,10). Cultural taboo did not hinder His divine purpose of choosing the neglected or marginalized to share in His mission. This foreshadows that those who receive the righteousness of Christ Jesus through faith and baptism in this life will dine with him again in the life to come (Rev 3,20; 19,9).
