Ephesians 4: 1-7.11-13,
Psalm 19:2-3.4-5,
Matthew 9:9-13 Full Readings
Saint MatthewEncountering Christ
Brethren, Let us first know about the Saint of the day, St Matthew, the evangelist and Apostle. Born at Capernaum, this tax collector, also known as Levi, was called to discipleship by the Lord as he was sitting at his customs office. Tradition holds that he wrote a collection of sayings of Jesus in Aramaic, and inspired the Gospel which bears his name. The Gospel of Matthew is addressed to a Jewish community, and presents Jesus as the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. Matthew is said to have preached the faith in the East.
When the world looked at Matthew, the tax collector, they saw a public sinner but when Christ looked at Matthew, he saw a restless heart, longing for God. And at the words: “follow me”, Matthew got up, left all and followed Jesus. No one is ever too lost to be saved by God’s amazing grace. Like Matthew, we too can begin anew but we must let go of all that enslaves us and follow Jesus with all our heart. In the words of Cardinal Henry Newman, “to live is to change and to be perfect is to have changed often.” Let us reflect on three aspects in this Gospel
1. He Got Up: Why did Jesus call Matthew to be one of his closest disciples? Matthew, the tax collector, was despised by his peers, indentured to the Romans, and probably very lonely—a man lacking charisma, personal charm, or influence among the Jews. What could he have possibly contributed to Our Lord’s ministry? The Scriptures hint at one quality Our Lord values very much in an apostle. When he was called, Matthew promptly got up and followed Jesus. He was docile and open-hearted—important prerequisites for conversion of heart. “On each occasion I say: ‘Lord, thy will be done! It’s not what this or that one wants, but what you want me to do.’ This is my fortress, this is my firm rock, this is my sure support” (St. John Chrysostom).
2. The Balm of Mercy: Jesus said to St. Faustina, “The flames of mercy are burning me, I want to pour them out upon the human souls.” St. Matthew, the tax collector who had become a traitor to his people for the sake of personal gain, needed this mercy. Not only was Matthew despised by the Jews, but scripture tells us he associated with other tax collectors and ne'er do wells. How easy it would be to walk right past someone like Matthew. But Jesus shows us that conversions can happen in the most unlikely souls. When he encountered Jesus, Matthew was changed forever. He repented and became one of the church’s greatest saints and evangelizers. That’s the power of the Lord’s mercy! May we be so full of Christ that others encounter him when they meet us. In that way, we will be extensions of God’s mercy.
3. The Poison of Self-Appointed Righteousness: The Pharisees fell into the trap of thinking that they were better than others because they fulfilled the law and the commandments. Their arrogance blinded them to the truth that all people are beloved sons and daughters of God. Instead, the Pharisees looked down upon those they were called to lead. How many sinners might have sought mercy, but were too quickly judged and disregarded because of some immoral or inappropriate behavior? Does that happen in our day? How willing are we to reach out to the neediest in society with material help, catechesis, and loving kindness?
Let us Pray
Lord, I am inspired when I see how you loved Matthew unconditionally, how you showered your mercy on him, and how you enabled him to become a saint. Teach me to be docile to the Holy Spirit, trusting in your mercy. Help me to avoid the temptation to self-righteousness. Show me where you want me to bring the good news. Amen
Be blessed
No comments:
Post a Comment