Homily for Saturday after Ash Wednesday

In today's Gospel passage, the Scribes and the Pharisees questioned Jesus about why He was eating with tax collectors and sinners. According to them, eating with such people was a risk as they believed it could lead to contamination and loss of moral health. They believed it was better to keep away from such people.

However, Jesus was not concerned about being contaminated by others' sins. He knew that His goodness, which was the goodness of the Father in Him, would infect and transform them. The Lord is never reduced by our failings, but we are always enriched by His holiness.

This is why the Lord does not separate Himself from us, even when we tend to separate ourselves from Him because of our actions or inactions. The Lord is always ready to sit with us, break bread with us, and enter into communion with us. In our weakness, we can draw from His strength, and in our many failings, we can draw from His goodness and love.