Friends, in today’s Gospel, the Pharisees compare the eating habits of John the Baptist, who fasted, and Jesus, who dined with sinners.

In the carefully stratified society of Jesus’ time, a righteous person would never associate with the unrighteous, for fear of becoming unclean. But here is Jesus, scandalizing everyone because he does indeed break down these barriers. How would you feel if you saw me socializing with prostitutes and drug dealers? Would it shock you, dismay you, disappoint you? But this is what Jesus did, precisely because he was the Incarnation of the God who aggressively seeks out the lost.

God looks for us, comes running after us, never lets go, never relents, never gives up. The more we run, the more he runs after us; the more we hide, the more he looks; the more we resist, the more he persists. God loves sinners and associates with them.