Saint Athanasius Lutheran Church

When Jesus said, “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” it wasn’t a rebuke just for the Pharisees—it’s a call for us, too. God doesn’t delight in rituals for their own sake, but in mercy that mirrors His own heart. Jesus came to bring that mercy to sinners, to touch the broken and bear their sin—even when it killed Him. On the cross, He became both the perfect sacrifice and the perfect mercy. And He still comes to us today—to forgive, heal, and invite us to His table, where mercy flows freely. Then, like Matthew the tax collector, we’re sent out to share that same mercy with a world that needs it.