Message of Abbot Paul - Saturday 5th March
Message from Fr Paul for Saturday, 5th March 2022
The tragic events taking place in the Ukraine, totally unacceptable from every point of view, and the blinding of the Russian people to the truth by government control of the media, make us realise how vital are truth and integrity to our lives. I am finding already that the real penance this Lent is simply to listen to or read the news and weep in prayer, not in desperation but trusting still in God, for our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. Let us continue to pray for all those involved, including the perpetrators and those responsible for the catastrophe of war, that God will touch the hearts, particularly of the military and those in high government, to stop these atrocities that are completely uncalled for and negotiate a way of peace and cooperation among nations and ethnic groups.
Our Gospel today is the account from Luke, (Lk 5: 27-32), of the call of Levi or Matthew the Apostle. It contains the most consoling words found in the Bible, words of Jesus to the Pharisees and their scribes, who complained about his attitude to sinners. “Jesus noticed a tax collector, Levi by name, sitting by the customs house, and said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And leaving everything he got up and followed him. In his honour Levi held a great reception in his house, and with them at table was a large gathering of tax collectors and others. The Pharisees and their scribes complained to his disciples and said, ‘Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?’ Jesus said to them in reply, ‘It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.’” How can we respond but by expressing our gratitude and love for God, who in Jesus reconciles sinners to himself and to one another?
In the Roman Empire there were a number of categories of tax collectors and taxes could be paid either in cash or with a percentage of the goods produced. The state paid tax collectors a certain wage, but they were free to make more money by charging over and above the set amounts. They were considered to be traitors by the Jewish religious authorities, collaborators with the invaders. A great deal is made of them in the Gospel as, like prostitutes, they were an easy group of sinners to categorise and Jesus made a specific point of mixing with sinners and calling them to repentance and God’s love and forgiveness. He was the friend of sinners. The truth of the matter is that in one way or another we are all sinners, and Jesus has come for us. He comes to call us to repentance, forgiveness and new life. Lent is a good time to meditate on this fact. “It is not those who are well who need the doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the virtuous, but sinners to repentance.” Let’s not forget that the actions and words of Jesus are an imperative that we should do likewise. We, too, should go to the margins of society and bring those in need of God’s mercy into the fellowship of faith. What would be the point of saying how wonderful Jesus is, if we don’t go out and do the same?
