Though Jesus was a devout Jew who practiced his faith, he
was criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners—
the religiously nonobservant. Jesus criticizes the self-righteous and reminds us that mercy is to be at the heart
of our religious practices. God continues to be made
known in those on the margins of society, like Matthew the
tax collector and the hemorrhaging woman. As we gather
each Lord’s day we receive the healing that makes us well
and sends us forth to be signs of God’s mercy for the
world.