Daily Gospel Reflection
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September 21, 2024
As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”
Reflection
Today’s Gospel starts simple enough with Jesus’ words to Mathew, ”Follow me.” However, these words give me pause to think about the concept of free choice that God offers us. What if Mathew responded, “That’s okay, I’m good where I am”? Any one of Jesus’ disciples could have responded as such. They were not extraordinary in who they were by profession or status, but instead because of the daily choices they made to give of themselves to God.
But what of this concept of free choice? In some ways, the world would be better off if God made our choices for us. It could result in less violence, marginalization, inequity, and entitlement. But what would we be giving up?
This makes me recall my time in Honduras as a volunteer with Finca del Nino (Farm of the Child). The Finca finds Honduran couples or older women to serve as surrogate parents or “tias” for our exceptional children. Some of these adults would request that our children call them “mami and papi” as a sign of respect. Others, however, offered our children the option to call them by their names or what they felt comfortable with.
After some time, eventually, the children in a house might opt to call the adults “mami and papi,” less out of respect and more out of a deep appreciation for the love they received and desired to reciprocate. The joy those parents felt coming off of these moments could be overwhelming. But it would only be possible if done by choice.
Similarly, God could choose to determine our actions for us, but God understands better than we do the immense joy possible from choosing to love rather than being compelled to do so. We may struggle to make sense of a world in disarray, but we, as Christians, have opportunities and the choice to do something about it. As Christ calls us to follow him, how will we respond? What will we choose on this day and every day after?
Prayer
“Follow me.” Lord, you spoke two simple words and they changed Matthew’s life forever. You speak those same words to each one of us “Follow me” and our response changes our lives forever. Thank you for inviting us to follow you. Like Matthew, the tax collector, help us know our own “sickness” and thus our great need for you. Help us to know our need for your mercy which you give to us freely and without reservation. We pray this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Despite his role as a despised tax collector, St. Matthew was called by Jesus to become one of his closest followers.
All tax collectors were hated in Palestine because they were greedy and extortionist. Jewish tax collectors like Matthew were especially reviled because they gathered taxes for the occupying and oppressive Roman government. Jewish families generally refused to marry into a family that claimed a tax collector among them. Tax collectors were excluded from religious worship and barred from business and civil affairs.
Yet, Jesus passed by Matthew’s customs post and said to him, “Follow me.” And Matthew got up and followed him (Mt 9:9).
Matthew’s post was in Capernaum, where, for a time, Jesus had lived, preached, and worked miracles, so we can assume that Matthew had heard of Jesus and perhaps even listened to him before their encounter. Perhaps Matthew secretly longed to give his life over to the kingdom of God described by this man who worked wonders. When he finally came face to face with Jesus, he jumped at the chance—the personal invitation from Jesus must have been the opportunity Matthew was looking for. He left everything—his occupation and his relationships—in an instant.
Matthew was counted among the 12 disciples, and is traditionally cited as the author of a book of the Gospels (for a fuller explanation of the authorship of the Gospel of Matthew, see this link).
The four evangelists are depicted by symbols that come from Ezekiel and the book of Revelation. John is represented by the eagle because his Gospel begins with high-minded, soaring theology of the Word made flesh. Mark is depicted by the lion because his Gospel begins with John the Baptist crying out in the wilderness (like a lion); Jesus also often appears with royal, king-like dignity in his Gospel. Luke is shown as an ox because of the importance of sacrifice in his Gospel. Matthew is symbolized by a man or angel because he begins the Gospel with the genealogy of Jesus, emphasizing his humanity.
A number of relics of St. Matthew rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica, where he is also depicted in several places. St. Matthew is also shown in this stained glass window from the chapel of the Stayer Center for Executive Education because he is patron saint of those who work with finances. This small window in the Morrissey Hall chapel shows the saint as well.
St. Matthew, you were the reviled tax collector who became patron saint of those who work with finances—pray for us!