"Why does he eat with 'the rejected' and sinners?" they asked. Jesus replied: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners." [Mark 2:16-17]
Are we those who are well, or are we those who have been rejected and enslaved to sin? "Amen, Amen I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." [John 8:34]. If we are honest with ourselves we will recognize that we are the ones whom Christ is being criticized for eating with. We are the ones he is focusing on, so that he may heal us from our emptiness and call us into holiness.
The Holy One of God comes in humility and eats with us at our table, so that he can draw us to himself when he is lifted upon the cross (John 12:32), and have us share in his eternal banquet at his table: "You who have stood by me in my trials … You may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom."[Luke 22:27-30] What we are hearing and seeing here is given to us so that we may never think that our sin or state of being is greater than the mercy of God. Jesus makes it clear that he comes to call the sinner not the righteous. So this call is for you and me and not for some holy person. The righteous is deafened and blinded with self-glory and is unable to hear or see Jesus until he or she is graced with a touch of humility.
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