Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
The Lord describes his mission many times in the New Testament. Among the gospels and letters, they present a mysterious person whom we must receive with our ears through human language, and hear in our hearts. And so, whenever He makes such a statement, we sit up and listen.
In today's gospel he describes his mission and ours. Told by the Father through the prophets to his heart, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice," he announces, "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
The statement presents a peculiar dilemma to the devout. Although we hear the call to righteousness, we sin. We hear the invitation to enter God's presence, and wish with all our hearts to do so, but we sin often and repeatedly.
It's easy to confess, "I am not worthy to have you enter my house." Many would add, "I am not worthy to enter God's house!" But that cannot be our final response, for his summons awaits and demands more than a polite refusal. Nor can we excuse ourselves with, "I have married a wife and bought a cow."
And so we accept the invitation not as righteous people but as sinners. Others might see us entering the Church; they might notice our peculiar habits which they might call holy, righteous, and sanctimonious. And they might accuse us of self-righteousness and -- worse! -- hypocrisy.
And we'll admit they are right. As hypocritical as we might feel, we are righteous -- the New Testament prefers the word saints -- but it's God who has made us righteous. We could not make ourselves elect, righteous, holy, or blessed. As Jesus happily told the Twelve, "Did I not choose you?" (John 6:70)
God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Our response is really quite simple. Shut up and get in the boat!
