Saturday after Ash Wednesday
Daily Readings: Isaiah 58:9b-14, Gospel: Luke 5:27-32
"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future," says Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet and playwright.
The call of Levi, the tax collector, in the Gospel story had a past, and Jesus saw in him a great future—a worthy disciple of Christ. The narrative also shows that Jesus is truly a friend of sinners because he wants to provide an excellent opportunity for a sinner (any person that matters) to reform, change, and transform for the better. He sees a great potency or possibility in a sinner or person.
Besides, God does not deal with us according to our past reputation, achievements, and failures. What matters to Him is a person’s disposition. God does not want us to perish and die. Instead, He wants us to live and turn away from our sinful ways.
God's dealings with us are not based on our actions but His character. Just like the sun shines on the evil and the good, so too, God’s grace is meant for the righteous and the unrighteous.
This is precisely what happens in the encounter between Jesus and Levi. From what Jesus saw in Levi, he had a better disposition for a new direction, new life, and hope for transformation—from being perceived as a corrupt official to a reformed person.
Like Levi, Jesus calls us to a new life of grace in and through him. Are we willing to respond like Levi with a better disposition?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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