RBWords

     Pope Francis caused a real stir when he referred to the church as a field hospital for the sick and wounded.  He challenged all the baptized to become "missionary disciples" who go out to collect the sick and wounded and bring them to healing.  Why should this challenge cause a stir?  There are some folks who believe the church is a "perfect society" of "saved" people.  At one time, this notion of the church was promoted because of the way canon law was interpreted.  Yet, the very existence of the Sacrament of Reconciliation should have alerted us to the reality of the Body of Christ.  Indeed, when an interviewer asked Pope Francis, shortly after his election, who he considered himself to be, he answered, "I am a sinner."

     The gospel scripture for today tells the story of the call of one of the apostles, "Levi/Matthew," who was a tax collector.  Given the way we in our day feel about the IRS, one might multiply the feeling in Jesus' day since the taxes were collected by agents of the Roman empire!  Levi/Matthew would have been scorned by Pharisees and scribes.  There were other occupations that also made people "unclean" in the eyes of the Pharisees and scribes.  Levi/Matthew celebrated his call with a dinner and Jesus attended.  This caused the complaint of the Pharisees and scribes.  Jesus' reply should make us think carefully about our own situations.  "I have come not to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."  Hmmmmm.....which group do we belong to?  "Missionary disciples" are not perfect people.  We are called to help one another get to the hospital.  Isaiah's many warnings about empty worship unaccompanied by good deeds can add to our reflection on this.  

     A pastor once put a sign on the church parking out that faced inward and read:  "Warning!  You are about to enter missionary territory."  Can we hear Jesus calling us?  Lent may be a time to pay special attention. AMEN