Saturday, February 29,2020 — Saturday after the ashes — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 5, 27-32 — I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, saith the Lord. Let him turn from his ways, and let him live.
It is the call of Levi that the Gospel presents to us today. Levi is publican, a tax collector, and in his society, those who do this profession were considered as a sinner. But to Christ's call, Levi followed him without hesitation, quitting his job and all the benefits which come with it.
Levi organized a banquet, and Jesus took part in it, a gesture that the Pharisees and the scribes saw with an evil eye: Jesus sharing the meal with a sinner. Jesus's answer was clear: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, that they may be converted". In the eyes of God, no one can boast of being righteous and innocent, so He came and dwelt among humans to save them. Therefore, it is useless to justify ourselves by accusing others of being sinners.
Similarly, it is also unnecessary to accuse us of an irretrievable sinner and that God will never want us. It is precisely to free us from our sins and our weaknesses that He came. God want that all humans to be saved. The period of lent is, therefore, the opportune time to get rid of our bad habits and other weaknesses.
