St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria, priest 

 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊

 Gen 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67

 Sarah lived a hundred and twenty-seven years. She died at Kiriatharba —that is Hebron—in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to weep and mourn for Sarah.  Abraham left his dead one and spoke to the Hittites,““I am only a stranger among you; give me a burial place among you, so that I may bury my dead.” After this Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave of Machpelah. Abraham was now old and well on in years, and Yahweh had blessed him in every way.  

 Abraham said to his senior servant, who was his steward, “Put your hand under my thigh and you will swear to me by Yahweh, God of heaven and earth, that you will not choose a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom we live; rather it is to my country and my kinsfolk that you will go to choose a wife for my son, Isaac.”

The servant said to him, “Perhaps the woman will not want to follow me to this country. In that case should I take your son to the country you came from?” Abraham said to him,  “In no way will you take my son back. For Yahweh, God of heaven and God of earth, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, spoke to me and swore to me that he would give this country to my race. He will send his angel before you, that you may find a wife for my son. But if the woman is unwilling to follow you,you will be free of this oath.

In any case you are not to take my son down there.” Now Isaac had come from the well of Lahai-roi, for he was living in the Negeb.  As Isaac went out in the early evening to meditate in the field, he looked up and saw camels coming. Rebekah also looked up and when she saw Isaac she alighted from her camel and said to the servant,     “Who is this man in the field coming to meet us?” He replied, “It is my master!” She then covered her face with her veil. The servant related to Isaac all that he had done and Isaac brought Rebekah into the tent of Sarah, his mother. He made her his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

 Mt 9:9-13

 As Jesus moved on from there, he saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the custom-house, and he said to him, “Follow me!” And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why is it that your master eats with sinners and tax collectors?”

When Jesus heard this, he said, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

 

Reflection gospel：

“WHAT I WANT IS MERCY….”

The celebration at the table in Matthew’s house expresses a foretaste of the celebration that happens in the kingdom of God. The welcoming and bringing together of people, sinners or righteous, is a joyous celebration in the kingdom. And the reconciliation of individuals with their Maker is one thing to celebrate.

Even before Jesus said to Matthew “Follow me!”, he already looked at him with mercy. The words “Follow me!” carry in them the merciful love of Jesus, from which forgiveness springs. It is mercy that Jesus brings and offers; it is also what He desires. Mercy characterizes in a concrete way the ministry of Jesus.

It is a mark of the reign of God that Jesus ushered in, a mark of the Church, and a mark of a Christian. Mercy allows us to understand, forgive and welcome. That is why there is a celebration at the house of Matthew. That is why in the celebration of the Eucharist everyone may participate. This same mercy, which allowed reconciliation with God and our fellow humans, calls us to extend to others our experience of Jesus’ merciful love to others.