Main news for 23 January 2022

We can understand the scribes murmuring about Jesus Christ. They see near Him people with whom a “normal” righteous Christian would never talk to, not talking of sitting down to a table…Bribetakers and racketeers, collaborationists and “common” sinners, who don’t care about the scrupulous fulfillment of rites…Homeless people, lunatics, vagabonds and doubtful girls – everyone, who excommunicated himself from God, who don’t have the right to expect God’s mercy. Is it from these people He wants to gather the Remnant?

But God’s mercy surpasses our understanding. “I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” says the Lord. He says in another place that tax collectors and sinners will enter the Kingdom of God before us. Because they listened to the voice of Jesus, heard His words of hope and responded to His call to repent. An important pragmatic conclusion comes out of these Jesus’ words. Firstly, the possibility to repent and redress is open to everyone. Secondly, we can find the Kingdom of God only if we admit that we aren’t in anything better than those sinners, who are so unpleasant to us.