As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved (http://www.usccb.org/bible/approved-translations/ ).
Someone predicted that, as the late 20th century saw a hunger and thirst among people for physical fitness, the dawn of the 21st century finds a hunger and thirst among people for spiritual fitness. The dichotomy this presents echoes this warning of St. Paul to Timothy:”The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow…teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear. They will…give their attention to legends.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
What signs of spiritual hunger and thirst do I see among people I meet? How can I help these people find the true message of Jesus, the true teacher?
“Example is not the main thing in life – it is the only thing.” —Albert Schweitzer
—Excerpted from Mission, by Fr. Mark Link, S.J. ©2000 RCL Enterprises, Inc., Allen TX. For more prayer resources from Fr. Link, please visit www.stay.great.com
Lord, we pray that in both the private and public moments of our lives, we speak, listen, and act so your love is made ever more real to others. And when we reflect back on our day, may we name those moments when your touch, your voice spoke through us. And where we fell short, may we resolve to do better tomorrow.
—The Jesuit Prayer Team
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