God's Reaction to Sin

Homily for Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s readings we are presented with two reactions of God’s about sinful behavior. In the first reading, the prophet Amos harshly criticizes the business practices of his day. Those who have money and power are not merely looking to turn a profit, but to fix their skills for cheating – taking advantage of the poor and vulnerable from the community. What is worse is that they pause from their wickedness for religious observances and then salivate over the end of the religious period so they can double down in their selfishness. They do not treat each other fairly, and Amos warns them that the Lord has promised to exact justice for their evil way.

But then we get to the Gospel reading, and Jesus, rather than “exacting justice” on the evil ways of Matthew the tax collector, recruits him! He calls Matthew to not only follow him, but he chooses him to be one of the Twelve. Not surprisingly, the Pharisees are livid. However, rather than confronting Jesus himself, they take their complaint to his followers. “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus, filled with mercy, admits these sinners are sick. They need a physician. He does not condone their sin, but he directs his comments to the desire of God for mercy more than sacrifice.

God’s reaction to sin has always been, and always will be, to condemn it. Those who persist in sin will, at the end of time, face God’s justice. Alongside these two truths, however, is another one: the Lord is merciful and just. God desires more than anything for us to be with him for eternity, and has given us the way to the kingdom and the means to follow that way. The choice, as always, is ours. Will we recognize our own sin? Or are we interested only in the sins of others? Will we repent and follow Jesus? With his help, we can walk away from our habits of sin. He is calling sinners like us. He is looking for you; he is looking for me. He knows that we also need his healing power.