Most of us would not call ourselves virtuous. At most we will say we try to be good.
Even if others were to call us virtuous, we might be rather embarrassed by it.
But even if we try to be virtuous and do our best to live good lives, we still have to admit that we struggle with sin.
Though sin is certainly not a good thing, yet sin should make us humble enough to see that we are no better than those who are publicly labelled as sinners.
When the scribes of the Pharisee party called those who were eating with Jesus as tax collectors and sinners, it implicitly meant that they thought of themselves as virtuous, although they didn't say it.
But as Jesus declared, "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous but sinners."
It takes humility to admit that we are not that spiritually healthy and that we struggle with sin of one kind or another.
But as the 1st reading tells us, let us be confident then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from Him and find grace when we are in need of help.
Jesus came to call us even in our sinful state. Let us follow Him and find our peace in Him.