Gospel (Lk 5,27-32) - At that time, Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax counter, and said to him: "Follow me!". And he, leaving everything, got up and followed him. Then Levi prepared a great banquet for him in his house. There was a large crowd of publicans and other people who were with them at table. The Pharisees and their scribes murmured and said to his disciples: "How come you eat and drink together with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered them: «It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to convert."

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

The evangelist begins this evangelical passage with the indication of Jesus leaving the house once again. It is an invitation to emerge with him from our protective habits, and above all to no longer live for ourselves but for others. On the road Jesus comes across a tax collector named Levi. He too, like the other publicans, is considered a public sinner, therefore, outside of religious attendance. They themselves recognized their condition as sinners, as people who did not observe the law. Those of them who went to the Baptist for the baptism of penance received the instruction not to demand more than was necessary (Lk3,12-13). For Jesus no one is unsuitable for the Gospel. This is suggested by the narration of the scene that the evangelist contains in two verbs: Jesus "saw a tax collector... and said to him: Follow me! He, “leaving everything, got up and followed him”. The substance of the event - Levi becomes one of the Twelve - is the "call" of Jesus and the "response" of Levi. The social condition, state of mind, reputation, origin and belonging of the person called do not matter. The prompt response of this tax collector to Jesus' call makes this evangelical episode emblematic. Luke wants to underline Jesus' predilection in communicating the Gospel to tax collectors and sinners. The following episode shows this clearly. Levi, having become a disciple, is no longer the same person as before and fits into the wake of evangelical preaching: he also wants his friends (publicans and sinners, whom everyone should avoid according to Pharisaic provisions) to meet Jesus as he met him. It is easy to imagine that these friends felt the need to be considered, loved and saved more than the pious Jews. And the festive banquet that he organizes in which Jesus willingly participates becomes an event that expresses well the mission of Jesus, his way of communicating the Gospel to men. God came to earth to seek out the poor and sinners to celebrate with them. Everyone realizes this: for the publicans it is a reason for joy, for the scribes and Pharisees it is a cause for scandal and therefore accusation. Jesus responds to them with a statement in proverbial style: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." And he clarifies his own mission: "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to convert." This statement and the scene of the banquet with the tax collectors and sinners still indicate the path of the evangelical mission today. Today, the publican Levi, together with all the others, are before us so that we can imitate their readiness to gather around the Lord and enjoy the joy of being saved. On this spiritual journey of Lent they remind us of the urgency of returning with our hearts to Jesus and following him on his journey towards Easter.