1 July, Friday – The Church is for Sinners & the Sick

Friday of Week 13 in Ordinary Time

Amo 8:4-6, 9-12

Mt 9:9-13

“…I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.”

The well and the sick in the gospel are figurative expressions for the righteous and sinners. In today’s gospel context, the Pharisees were included among the former, not on account of their righteousness but because they fancied it and deemed themselves without spot or taint. Jesus came to call all — sinners and saints alike. However, he could not direct his call to the self-righteous; as they did not relinquish their pretensions and were unreceptive to the healing offered. Jesus, being the master physician, wasn’t just a miracle healer of physical infirmities, as seen in yesterday’s readings on the healing of the paralytic. He understood the nature of all diseases of the soul and sought to grant wholeness in mind, body and spirit. The call of Matthew was precisely a display of mercy to a neglected soul. Recalling a recent episode of Season 1 of The Chosen, which our parish ministry watched and reflected upon, the character was wonderfully portrayed as a differently-abled tax collector who was ostracised and despised by the community – and even estranged from his parents. Yet, Jesus still sought him out as one of his apostles. Together with Peter, Andrew and James, one could say that it is indeed a gathering of misfits and they could hardly convince anyone to follow Christ with their credentials, let alone build a community of followers – the Church. In spite of that, Christianity still thrived over thousands of years from a humble gathering of the sick and sinners.

Pope Francis had aptly described the church as a field hospital on many occasions, referencing it as a place for the sick and sinners, a congregation for all who recognized their own iniquities and who needed healing. The concept of the church being a hospital was aptly described in today’s gospel. Jesus came to save sinners and lead them to repentance and healing. It should be a place where those who are physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually wounded can come and be treated. Yet, often we forget that the church is made up of sinners and wounded souls – we come to church expecting everyone to be holy and perfect already. There were so many occasions where I’d judged someone negatively following an unpleasant experience; be it from a priest who snubbed me in the confessional, failings of prominent ministry leaders or impolite hospitality ministers. The occasional sexual abuse or funds misappropriation case further puts a dent in our faith journey as a community. It is in times like these where my confidence in the institution of the church plummets drastically. Thankfully, these moments never last long enough for me to drift away from church. This also brings to mind one of my favourite poems from Carol Wimmer, written in 1988, titled “When I say I am a Christian”: