Jesus excludes no one from his loving embrace, pope tells audience

Published: 2006-08-30

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Jesus excludes no one from his loving embrace because he came especially to save sinners and social outcasts, Pope Benedict XVI said. The good news of the Gospels consists precisely in Jesus' message that God offers his grace above all to those who seem furthest from being holy, the pope said Aug. 30 at his weekly general audience. In front of some 8,000 pilgrims packed into the Paul VI hall, the pope continued his series of audience talks about the apostles with a reflection on the life and Gospel of St. Matthew. Matthew was a tax collector for the Roman occupiers in Israel and, therefore, like all the tax collectors at the time, was much hated by his fellow Jews, who considered him to be a public sinner. But Jesus invited Matthew and other marginalized people to "follow me" and even invited them to eat with him, the pope said.

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