“They asked his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’
Mark 2: 13-17
Wow! If ever we needed a Scripture passage to support our Synodal Theme of “Building Community, Inclusivity, and Dialogue ”, this one will definitely be top of the list. And what a way to kick off the new year!
In this passage, Jesus tries to steer the Pharisees away from the legalistic way in which they understood spirituality and religion. It is a call to follow His lead away from a very one-sided, self-righteous, and individualistic approach to one of ‘building community’ with the materially and spiritually poor, without judgement.
What about us? Do we look for opportunities to share the love of Christ through inclusivity and dialogue? Is this included on our list of 2023 resolutions? How do we view persons of other faiths, non-believers, the homeless, the mentally ill walking the streets and beggars? Are we willing to leave our comfort zone and “eat with tax collectors and sinners”?
Jesus, help us to follow Your lead and intentionally work on building community through inclusivity and dialogue in 2023.