Receiving Sinners

Dominus noster hodie spem peccatorum promovit ad veniam, et superborum murmur piissimo compressit exemplo. Erant, inquit, appropinquantes Domino publicani et peccatores, ut auditent illum: et murmurabant Pharisaei et Scribae dicentes, quia hic peccatores recipit et manducat cum illis. Non minus invidi quam superbi malitiam de Dominica bonitate capiebant: de pietate Dei impii reddebantur, fiebant de Christi miseratione crudeles, sumebant de coelesti curatione languorem, et poenitentium veniam vertebant judicis in reatum. Peccatores recipit, et manducat cum illis. Sic videt invidus, sic superbus sentit: avarus sic sapit, intelligit sic malignus. Peccatores recipit. Non dicunt suscepit. Quid amiserat, qui recipit? Donat culpas, iram vertit in gaudium, dolorem mutat in gratiam, quicumque invenit quod amisit. Peccatores recipit. Recipit peccatores Deus, sed Deus peccatores esse non sinit, quos recipit; peccator Deum non violat appropinquans, Deus peccatorem sanctificat cum proquinquat. Sanctus Petrus Chrysologus, Sermo CLXVIII, De Parabola centum ovium Source: Migne PL 52.639b-640a

Today our Lord inspired sinners to hope for forgiveness, and He silenced the murmuring of the proud with a most pious example. 'Tax collectors and sinners,' it says, 'drew near to the Lord to listen to Him. And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured 'This man receives sinners and eats with them.' 1 They were no less envious than they were proud in that they bore malice because of the Lord's kindness, and they were shown to be without pity because of the pity of God. They became cruel because of the mercy of Christ, they became sick because of heavenly healing, and they turned the forgiveness of sinners into an accusation against the Judge. 'He receives sinners and eats with them.' This is how the envious man sees, this is how the proud man perceives, this is how the covetous man understands, this is how the wicked man thinks. 'He receives sinners,' They do not say He takes them up. Who shall receive what was lost? Whoever finds what he has lost dismisses fault, turns anger into joy, and transforms grief to thanks. 'He receives sinners.' God receives sinners, but God does not allow those whom He receives to remain sinners. The approach of a sinner does no harm to God. God sanctifies the sinful man when he draws near. Saint Peter Chrysologus, from Sermon 168, On The Parable of the Hundred Sheep 1 Mt 8.14