“It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick.” (Lk. 5:27-32)

We always tend to classify people as “bad” or “good”. Today we talk about “toxic” people, those who take away your energy, who bother you, who are “obnoxious”, who are bitter and from whom we have to stay away so that they will not infect us with their negativity. Jesus, on the other hand, wants to draw near to them in order to heal them, to “infect” them with his life. For Christians, there are no toxic people, nor are there bad guys, what there are, are children of God whom He is willing to approach, to embrace.

Matthew was a sick man, he was a sinner. Those tax collectors were just one of those “toxic”, annoying persons who took money from people without caring about the pain they might cause. Jesus called his person, who did harm, who was hated, who took advantage of his countrymen, who was considered a traitor, who lived, or acted like a wicked man. And He called him to be an apostle. Jesus rescued him and Matthew immediately began to follow him

Reflect to take advantage of this narrative!   What does this Gospel invite us to?