Today, the first reading and the gospel offer us insight into some of the right conduct for spiritual renewal in our journey of faith. The readings focus on true righteousness, repentance, and empathy. The first reading presents Isaiah 58:9b-14 on the promises of God to those who would embark on true righteousness. On a close observation, we could decipher the aspect of social morality in relation to the first reading. The idea of social morality proposes moral principles that govern how we treat each other. A good example is the golden rule. However, Christianity goes beyond the social morality to a good action.
In the first reading, Isaiah exposes ethical conducts pleasing to God. The text says “If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; If you call the sabbath a delight, and the Lord’s holy day honourable; If you honour it [the Sabbath] by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice.” Not only does the text discourage acts against people on a socially moral level, but it also encourages caring for their well-being. A true “social morality” in the Catholic sensibility will ensure prosperity and well-being of human beings, accepting that human wellbeing is also an asset to peace of soul and service of God.
Sin and Righteousness
On its part, the gospel Luke 5:27-32 presents the encounter between Jesus and the tax collector. The periscope is about the conversion of Levi, who Jesus called to become his follower. As he was on his duty post collecting tax, Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” At the call of Jesus, he left everything behind and followed him. After the encounter with Jesus, Levi gave a great banquet for him in his house, at which a large crowd of tax collectors and others were present. But the Pharisees and the scribes were disgusted with this and complained to Jesus’ disciples. They asked: Why do Jesus and his disciples eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? Jesus answered them with the following words: Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.
Sin and the Dangers of Our Attitude
Unique in today’s gospel is God’s own ways of righteousness and its decisiveness in interpersonal relationships and mode of existence in the world. We are also brought into contact with the question of sin. A significant aspect of the understanding of sin and righteousness is our attitude to what we see as public sin and public sinners. The danger here is the tendency to exclude them, judge them and reduce their moral worth to this particular sin, whereas they surely, are worth more than their frailties. Jesus’ approach to sin and sinners offers us an example of righteousness for those who wish to serve God and love their neighbour in spirit and in truth. Jesus looked at the Tax collector, and perhaps, saw the generosity in him. Perhaps, he also saw that beyond being a tax collector, he is kind, welcoming and loving. He taught us to look beyond the prejudices that cloud our clarity in our dealings with people and instead, to operate in empathy mode. It also means dealing with our own self with empathy and patience.
The Right Conduct
In the season of Lent, the liturgy is composed to bring us to inward turn and renewal. The readings are always geared towards the right action – prayer, almsgiving, spiritual renewal, and forgiveness. The gospel today provides a concrete pattern of God’s dealing with sinners. Empathy among others enables us to connect with people on our common humanity and our human needs. God is not ashamed to identify with us. Even when we were sinners. “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”
