Feast of Saint Matthew

And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him. And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners? But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill. Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.
Matthew 9:9-13 (Douay-Rheims)

Prayer

Dear Father I remember times when I was well and saw people who were sick. How hard it was for me to understand how they suffer from their diseases. Or understand how you are there with them. It wasn't until I was sick myself from sin and from illness that I came to know you better. Even though when I was well I knew you, it wasn't the same. I was pompous in my faith and thought in a self righteous way. How those who are ill are in dire need of our Lord, how wrong I was to think that way. It was then that I needed you because it was my sin that made me think as if I were above everyone else. Dear Father you sent your Son to teach us the way to love and to live according to your Word. You sent Him to bring the sinners healing, to bring them back to you. May I always remember those times when I was well and did not love my neighbor as I should have. The meaning of mercy.