2nd Week of Advent, Friday – 11th December 2020 — Gospel: Mt 11,16-19
Befriending the Marginalized
What was thrown at Jesus as an insult is in reality his glory: “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.” The situation of tax collectors and sinners at the time of Jesus was pathetic. The Pharisees, Sadducees and Priestly class looked down upon them as cursed by God. They were considered as people with low dignity and were deprived of their religious, economic, and social rights. Jesus by calling them friends, living with them and eating with them restores their dignity. Jesus, through his attitudes and actions, becomes a joy and blessing to this neglected group. He is no friend to sin, but he has shown pity to poor sinners. In fact, for the elite leaders Jesus becomes the subject of criticism for doing so. However, Jesus is living the scriptures, his preferential option for the marginalized. He asserts through his words and actions that God created all human beings in his own image and likeness. He also manifests that all have dignity before God and must be treated with respect. Thus, Jesus stands as a model to esteem the down-trodden, and to set all sinners free.
