By Nibin K Cyriac, CSC –
Readings: 1 Sam 9: 1-4, 17-19,10:1; Mk 2: 13-17
Human beings have a tendency to brand people. Prejudices often come into our daily life. We try to evaluate, classify and label the other according to their occupation, family background, friendship, appearance etc.
That is what happened in the case of Apostle Mathew. As a tax collector he had to put on a ‘mask’ of a cruel, angry and arrogant person. The duty demanded it from him to be loyal to the authority that he is accountable to. In our life too we come across people who are arrogant and not pleasing to our eyes in their character, behavior and dealing
. This leads us to speak ill about him/her, ‘brand’ them as good for nothing. Today’s reading is inviting each one of us to go into the life of the other. Jesus invites everyone in this season to be more understanding, sensible and to be compassionate to the so-called “sinners”.
For that, what we need is patience: – patience to listen the other, patience to know, and patience to accept them as they are. We are not to change the other by our advice and moral teachings rather we must change our attitudes and that would affect the other and may lead to a total transformation of both.