Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Mark 2:13-17
Called to the Table of Grace

Yesterday’s Gospel presented the first conflict over Jesus’ authority to forgive sins. Today, we encounter a second controversy—His decision to share a meal with sinners (Mk 2:13-17). It challenges cultural and religious boundaries, and it provides us with lessons about discipleship, forgiveness, and community.

Jesus’ actions stand in stark contrast to societal norms. When He calls Levi, a tax collector—a profession despised for its corruption—Jesus not only forgives him but invites him into His closest circle of disciples. Levi leaves everything behind and follows Jesus, symbolising the radical response to divine grace.

The controversy escalates when Jesus shares a meal with tax collectors and sinners. To the religious leaders, this act of dining together is scandalous. They believe that sharing a meal signifies acceptance and brotherhood with sinners, which they see as contradictory to holiness. However, Jesus’ mission is to heal the broken, seek the lost, and restore the relationship between God and humanity.

This Gospel invites us to reflect on our own lives. Jesus calls each of us, sinners that we are, to His table of grace. His forgiveness is a gift, but how do we respond? Do we, like Levi, leave behind our old ways and follow Him wholeheartedly? And once forgiven, do we strive to avoid sin and embody the mercy we have received by extending it to others?

Jesus’ actions remind us that no one is beyond God’s call. His grace reaches into the most unexpected places, drawing us into fellowship with Him and with one another. In Christ, we find both healing and purpose—an invitation to live as His disciples, sharing His love and mercy with a world in need.

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