Yesterday’s gospel (Mk 2:13-17) featured the calling of Levi (Matthew) the tax collector; he immediately follows Jesus.  Jesus later dines with him and his guests whose number are made up of many tax collectors and sinners.  The Pharisees make known their displeasure at the company Jesus keeps which causes Jesus to reply with the words above, followed by His explaining that He has come to call sinners.  The news flash for us is that we are included in the “sick” to whom Jesus has come to attend.  There are no “righteous” that Jesus can bypass.  Any who are self-righteous need the Lord’s healing power all the more.  Sin is the cancer of the soul.  The divine healer is ready to eradicate the disease without a trace if only we desire to let Him in.  And the only way we can do that properly is by praying and working to eliminate all that prevents us from being open to the fullness of God’s grace: sin and vice.  The good news for us is that no sin is too big or too small for Christ to heal.  No matter how long it takes for us to finally seek the cure, no matter how long evil has festered inside us, it can be cured.  God’s office hours are 24/7.  His services come free but were not cheaply purchased — it cost Him His life.  Beg for healing.  Take advantage of the graces that come through the Sacrament of Reconciliation (during regular hours or just about any time you can find a priest that has a few minutes of availability).  Monthly Confession is highly recommended as a “maintenance program.”  Serious sin should be confessed to a priest at the soonest possible opportunity.  Let us strive to never distance ourselves from the Lord or cut ourselves off completely from the divine life of grace for any sinful act — which offers only fleeting satisfaction.  But we always remember that if and when we do fall, sincere recourse to Jesus always provides the “patching up” we need.