“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Matthew 9:12–13
Are you among the “righteous” or the “sinners?”
Be careful how you answer this question. The pride that comes with our fallen human nature often tempts us to claim that we are “well” and “righteous.” But humility will reveal the truth that we are among the “sick” and “sinners.”
This statement of Jesus is a response to the Pharisees who noticed that Jesus was dining at the house of Matthew, the tax collector, whom He had just called to follow Him. Matthew left everything behind at Jesus’ call. He, then, hosted dinner for Jesus at his house. To that dinner, came “many tax collectors and sinners” who sat with Jesus and His disciples. The Pharisees saw this and condemned Jesus’ actions.
Jesus’ response is very important for us to hear. Jesus said He came not for those who were well and righteous but for those who were sick and sinners.
We are all sinners, among the sick. But, if we cannot humbly admit to that, and in our pride claim that we are well and are righteous, we reject Jesus, the Divine Physician, from our lives. We essentially say, “Lord, I do not need You.”
We see ourselves above those horrible sinners. The soul soon becomes as prideful as the Pharisee. We see ourselves as not needing God’s Mercy. Our hearts harden.
The soul needs to humbly admit its illness and seek the Divine Physician. He must come seeking the medicine of Divine Mercy. The soul must admit its illness in order to seek healing.
When the soul admits its sin, the floodgates of Heaven will pour forth a massive flood of grace and mercy.
“Let the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy. They have the right before others to trust in the abyss of My mercy.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 1146