SCUM SCAN

“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” – Mark 2:16

    Jesus seems to have a scanning app that’s unparalleled in its technology. It sees beyond the visible. It transcends what’s obvious. It scans a corrupt customs official and then invites him, “Follow Me.” He scans a scum crowd at a glance and then quickly decides to party with them. Obviously, the scanning report yielded something of goodness and beauty that’s beyond our operating system’s “optical recognition capability.”

       In her book Who Calls Me Beautiful?, Regina Franklin shares that Miss Sweden 1951 was 5’7” and 151 pounds but Miss Sweden 1983 was two inches taller at 5’9” and 45 pounds lighter at 106 pounds. Regina wonders how it is that if today’s standards were used on Miss Sweden 1951, she would be judged fat, ugly and the pageant’s biggest joke. Conversely, if today’s Miss Sweden joined the pageant’s 1951 version, she would be rushed to the emergency room for anorexia, needing the Social Welfare Department’s six-week feeding program.

        My friend, only God’s standards matter. The ultimate Judge smiles at you. His scanning report today declares you beautiful, forgiven and worthy of a glorious destiny. Jon Escoto (faithatworkjon@gmail.com)

Reflection:You may have sinned. You may be hurt or even feeling weak. But let the truth of God’s love heal you today.

Lord, I know You accept me. Thank You for loving me.

St. Felix of Nola, pray for us.

Christians stand for the truth of the Gospel and morality. The world may think it can redefine the truth but it will always fail. Marriage, as understood by the Church, is and always will be between a man and a woman. Once the connection to the life-giving power of the sexual act is ignored, we are left with a union of two people that has lost the focus on the deepest aspect of who we are as a differentiated species.

12 The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. 14 Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. 16 So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

R: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

7 [8] The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring  forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) 14 [15] Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (R)

Jesus confronts traditional understandings especially when their essence is wrong. Jesus associates with sinners and even dines with them. We are all sinners and in need of redemption (Romans 3:20-23). Let us not judge and exclude certain sinners from the grace of salvation. Jesus refused to do this. We should follow His example.

The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, and proclaim liberty to captives.

13 Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. 14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. 15 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

think: Was there a time when you doubted a “sinner’s” conversion story back to Jesus? Why?

Read the Bible in one year  Matthew 19-21

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

DIRTY YOURSELF

Jesus in today’s Gospel reached out to the corrupt Levi. He went to the houses of known public sinners and dined with them. Thus, the perpetually “clean” Pharisees gave Jesus the mock title, “a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”

       Pope Francis has always said that he does not want a Church that is “clean.” “I prefer a church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” he would say. That is Jesus’ ministry in a nutshell. He was bruised, hurting and dirty because He had been out in the streets, reaching out to those in the peripheries of society. On the other hand, the religious leaders called the Pharisees, which literally means “the separated one,” are immaculately clean because they clung to their own security.

       This brought to mind an old info ad that went viral in June last year. A local detergent brand conducted a social experiment. On the first day of school, they asked the old janitor to intentionally slip on a pile of mud while carrying a heavy load. Children wearing their immaculate white uniforms were observed on how they would react. Some children passed by. Some ran to the aid of the old man and offered to help, staining themselves all over.

       The “dirty” children were then asked to go to their mothers waiting to fetch them at the school gate. The reaction of the mothers were unanimous: dismay, disgust and anger: “What did you do?” “Didn’t Mommy tell you not to dirty yourself?” “You wash that yourself!” The reprimand soon turned to embarrassed pride for their kids as a video wall showed the mothers what really happened moments before. The kids threw all hygienic caution to the wind to run to the aid of the old school janitor.

       When you reach out, your hands will be soiled. When you love, your heart will be broken. When you love the unlovable, you can be dirtied. As the kids in that school grew dirtier, their hearts were shining immaculately white. No wonder children are always given as models for the Kingdom of heaven. Fr. Joel Jason

---------- REFLECTION QUESTION ----------

When you see a “dirty” person, literally and figuratively, how do you respond?

We are all dirty, Jesus, and Your love washed us clean. Help me, little by little, to do the same. Amen.