Summary: As Jesus walked by the sea, teaching the gathered crowds, He encountered Levi, a tax collector. Inviting Levi to follow Him, Levi immediately complied. At a meal in Levi's house, Jesus dined with many tax collectors and sinners, drawing criticism from Pharisee scribes. Jesus responded, highlighting His mission to help the spiritually needy, not the self-perceived righteous, akin to a physician treating the sick rather than the healthy.
Gospel Acclamation: The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives. (Luke 4:18)
Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
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