Including everyone

"the kingdom of God is close at hand" was by constantly reaching out to those whom mainstream Jews excluded from that kingdom.

Even ultra-liberal Scripture scholars (people who hold we can know almost nothing about the historical Jesus) are certain that He habitually hung out with individuals who weren't even close to the bottom rung of the Jewish social ladder.

But we often overlook one of the ways Jesus expressed His faith in God's inclusivity. Though some modern Christian churches use His selection of 12 men as the basis for excluding women from certain ministries, Father Meir believes Jesus used them for the opposite reason: as a way to demonstrate the total inclusiveness of God's kingdom. Just as the original 12 sons of Jacob once constituted all of Israel, so Jesus' Twelve showed His intention to include all Israelites in God's kingdom -- even public sinners like Matthew, who collected taxes for Israel's enemy, Rome.

Invitation

No action in the ancient Jewish world more shows oneness between individuals than two people dining together. So it's no wonder those guardians of religious exclusivity, the Pharisees, demand to know, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

Jesus counters their attack on three levels. First, by stressing His ministry as healer: "Those who are well do not need a physician; the sick do." Second, by referring to the prophetic statement of Hosea in the first reading (Hos 6: 3-6): "Go and learn the meaning of the words, `I desire mercy, not sacrifice.'" Finally, by giving His far-from-perfect disciples a "shot in the arm:" "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Deeper roots

Their religion gives them a false sense of security. Because they can control people's access to liturgies and have the power to excommunicate anyone who flaunts their religious regulations, they can refuse to deal with a God who constantly offers love and mercy to everyone.

Hosea believes that only those who weave all people into their lives will be able to weave God into their lives. And Jesus, by His choice of the Twelve, shows He believes the same thing.

That's why the second reading is so important (Rom 4: 18-25). In it, Paul deals with the most controversial act of inclusivity in Christian history -- something which the historical Jesus never encountered: the admission of Gentiles into the Christian community. Like Jesus and Hosea, he goes back to the roots of his faith to justify his ministry to non-Jews.

Using Abraham's response to Yahweh in Genesis 23 as a pattern for all believers, he reminds the Roman church that righteousness -- doing what God wants us to do -- comes not from obeying laws or performing rituals, but simply from having faith in God.

Jesus found such faith in those who broke laws and were excluded from sacred rituals: tax collectors and sinners. In whom do we find that faith today?

(06-06-02) [[In-content Ad]]