Matthew 9:9–13

This too is full of a God-sign: that by word alone such a man was turned toward so great a virtue. Calling Matthew, he shows that even if no one comes to him “unless the Father draws him,” still the drawing happens through Christ.

So the Savior, unashamed, called a tax collector into discipleship and came into his house, where nothing else was good except the householder’s change. A large crowd of tax collectors were reclining with Jesus. The Savior is not indignant and does not take what happens as an insult to him; as master of nature he arrives at the feast, eats and drinks, showing the truth of the body and blessing the timely use of foods.

Pharisees and scribes were also present — not to learn, but to meddle in what was happening. They see the tax collectors reclining with him, call the disciples, and blame what is going on. Jesus hears and says to them: “You also need a physician. If you were not ill, you would not blame the physician’s love of humankind. I know they are tax collectors; I know their soul’s diseases; I know they are in a bad way. That is why I have come to them: to heal their sick souls.”

The reason the Pharisees seize on the Savior for eating with sinners is that there was a law “to distinguish between holy and profane.” They did not know that Christ was giving philanthropic grace above the legal use: the one cast out the evil; the other changed it. So he showed that he is present not as judge but as physician, and does what belongs to the art by being with those who also need healing.