Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed him.
In his most recent Lenten message, Pope Benedict wrote that “Christians are people who have been conquered by Christ’s love.” It is His love for us that attracts us towards Him.
Jesus saw a tax collector and said to him, “Follow me.” In today’s Gospel passage, St. Luke offers his readers no stunning arguments, no attractive incentives, and no remarkable deeds for Levi’s sudden and abrupt career change. "Follow me" is all there is. And maybe there’s a reason for it. Maybe, that’s all there needs to be.
It's clear that Levi was not swayed by Christ’s words or philosophy, but by Christ’s invitation, which is an invitation to love as He loves. This obviously caught Levi by surprise, really by surprise.
Love catches all of us by surprise, and the only way to respond to it is with humility.
Levi knew who he was. He knew what he was doing. But none of that mattered for the Lord. There’s something special about that. Regardless of the brutal facts, love conquers all things.
Love catches all of us by surprise, and the only way to respond to it is with humility.
Levi knew who he was. He knew what he was doing. But none of that mattered for the Lord. There’s something special about that. Regardless of the brutal facts, love conquers all things.
Like Richard Dawkins, I am sure our tax collector had experienced sex before. But I doubt he had ever experienced love before. Well, now he did. He had been conquered by Christ's love. He got up and followed him.
People who do not "get us" do not get this! How could anyone leave everything? How could anyone be happy like this? Good questions. Actually, very good questions. And you would hope that those who do not get us would actually ask us. But they never do. Instead, they dedicate their time and life in helping others avoid following Him. They do this by simply ridiculing Him and His followers, and prostituting the world with offers no one could ever refuse! They fill God’s presence, his grace, with disgrace and mace.
Levi became a new man. Following up on the Lord’s invitation, he drafted his own invitation in honor of the Lord. He “gave a great banquet for the Lord in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them.” Imagine the site! Converts are a sight. Only Christ is capable of bringing the oddest of characters together, including foes. Only Christ could bring Chris Matthews (from MSNBC) and Sean Hannity (from FOXNEWS) together. Only Christ could bring Nancy Pelosi and Newt Gingrich together! Christ’s table is filled with those who are politically to the left and to the right, Kings and peasants, rich and poor; those who are enemies!
Christ conquers all things, including sinners. His love, dignity, compassion and strength continue to conquer even today. All it takes is humility: to acknowledge someone who loves better than I do; cares more than I do; and who has more faith in me than I do.
Calling all sinners to God. Resolution: I will invite someone to come to Church this Sunday. If they say “yes”, great! If they say “no”, it’s not your fault. You did what you were supposed to do. You gave an invitation.
I haven't been able to read the meditations the past week because of some major life changing events. I love the "resolutions" at the end of the page. If there is one blessing in this horrible time for our family, it is that we are in the season of Lent. I am doing my best to suffer with Christ on the royal road to obedience. And it is very hard. It is hard to see someone you love fall so far away, and work so hard to hurt you for their own prideful reasons. It is easier for me to forgive strangers, harder to forgive someone you gave your heart to for so long when their on a path of total destruction for their own selfish reasons. I am praying deeply and unceasingly that God's path for this family is good. It seems easy to say "God abandoned me too", but I know that is not true. He is carrying me now. Thank you Father. What I know for sure....you can lead someone to church, but their heart has to have humility to accept God.
ReplyDeleteWhy did Jesus say, "leave everything behind"? Because He's everything.
ReplyDeleteKatie G
Father Alfonse,
ReplyDeleteDo you know about Alex Gibney's documentary "Mea Maxima Culpa"?(Silence in the House of God) I think it's due to air on HBO.
I'm not sure what the connection to this is to the meditation above? I have a lot of sympathy for the victims of child abuse. I don't have any sympathy for HBO. This station is one of the most anti-Catholic stations around. They continue to show Bill Maher, who is as virolent as they come towards the Catholic Church.
ReplyDeleteIf HBO really cares about children, then I can't wait to see them do a documentary on the abortion mills that continue to buther and slaughter millions of babies.
For the secular media, the worst thing that could possibly happen to a child is sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the least horrible thing that could possibly happen to a child is abortion.
They always look at the negative and not the positive about issues. I don't have HBO because I don't waste my time or support negative issues but look for the positive.
DeleteI have known about"Silence in the House of God" and it concerns the Pope and issues facing the Church. I don't necessarily approve of HBO especially how it is going to be presented. Segments have already been released and it's all about whatever they can come up with that's negative.
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