Ephesians 4: 1-7.11-13,
Psalm 19:2-3.4-5,
The Balm of Mercy
Brethren, let us first know about the Saint of the day, St Matthew, also known as Levi, the evangelist and an Apostle. He was born in Capernaum. He was a tax collector, and his profession was probably the most corrupted and despised by everyone because tax collectors worked for Romans who were oppressing many the Jews and also made themselves wealthy by over-charging and threatening people if they did not hand over their money to them; for this reason, they were regarded as sinners and traitors to their people for the sake of personal gains. Nevertheless, he 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.”
Jesus called Matthew amid his daily work just as he called Simon and Andrew while they were fishing (Matthew 4:18) and James and John while they were mending their nets (Matthew 4:21). Today, Jesus calls us to follow him amid our duties in our state in life. it is quite unfortunate that today, our works and jobs have become a stumbling block to following Jesus even going to church. Can we learn something from Matthew? Jesus asks us to leave behind anything that keeps us from living a life centered on him. For some people, this may mean changing careers. For others, it may mean prioritizing one’s time so that the family receives more attention. Others may find that Jesus’ call to follow him means changing what they watch on TV, what movies they go to, or what they read. It may also be a call to follow Jesus into a life of simplicity, changing what one buys or what portion of income is given to support God’s work. May we generously respond to whatever Our Lord asks us to leave behind as we follow him more closely.
Jesus was sitting with sinners and eating with them which did not make the Pharisees and the Scribes happy. Most Gospel stories show Jesus meeting people somewhere other than a synagogue or the Temple. He went out to meet people where they lived and worked. In this Gospel passage, he went to the home of a sinner to meet other sinners. Pope Francis insists again and again that we go to the periphery of society to encounter and accompany those who are marginalized. In his encyclical Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship) the Holy Father writes, “Each of us can learn something from others. No one is useless and no one is expendable. This also means finding ways to include those on the peripheries of life. For they have another way of looking at things; they see aspects of reality that are invisible to the centers of power where weighty decisions are made” (n. 215). How open are we to others who see things differently from our point of view? How often do we see goodness in people rather than seeing public sinners and unworthy people to relate or make friends with? 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. How willing are we to reach out to the neediest in society with material help, catechesis, and loving kindness?
Jesus came to call sinners and desires mercy not sacrifice; never we judge anyone because of some immoral or inappropriate behavior. St. John wrote, “If we say, ‘We are without sin,’ we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us’” (1 John 1:8). In other words, we are all sinners, and “we must admit our faults” in order to receive God’s mercy (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1847). As the Catechism further explains, “There are no limits to the mercy of God, but anyone who deliberately refuses to accept his mercy by repenting, rejects the forgiveness of his sins and the salvation offered by the Holy Spirit” (CCC 1864). How great that mercy is when one recognizes the need for repentance and turns to God. One story illustrating this is that of Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a man who accused himself of being involved in over 75,000 abortions. Just before becoming Catholic, he said, “I will be free from sin. For the first time in my life, I will feel the shelter and warmth of faith” (1996 interview in Crisis Magazine on EWTN website). When Matthew 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!
Brethren, may we be so full of Christ's mercy that others may encounter his mercy when they meet us. In that way, we will be extensions of God’s mercy. May we see where we need the Lord’s mercy, especially in any areas of our life where we have rationalized or justified choices that are incongruent with the Gospel. May we like Matthew never let our busy life and duties come in our way of getting up daily and following Jesus just as Matthew did.
Let us Pray
Lord, there is no sin so great that it cannot be overcome by your mercy. 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
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