Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Today’s Reflection
Gospel: Mt 9:9-13
September 21, 2022 | Wednesday

Today’s Gospel

As Jesus moved on from there, he saw a man named Matthew, at his seat in the custom-house; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and other sinners joined Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, “Why is it that your master eats with those sinners and tax collectors?”

When Jesus heard this he said, “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Today’s Reflection:

The call of Matthew in today’s Gospel became the occasion for Jesus to encounter a group of sinners. Matthew was redeemed from the vicious circle of wealth that impoverished him spiritually. He was freed from what made him unhappy by his response to Jesus and by receiving the gratuitousness of God’s love and mercy.

Instead of turning away from Matthew’s fellow tax collectors, Jesus, the “doctor of souls” brought the possibility of forgiveness and reconciliation. He came to call not the righteous—who in this case are the publicans who murmured against Jesus— but the sinners, who need the mercy of the physician.

Matthew’s response teaches us not to turn away from God but to allow him to touch our lives; not to close our wounds to Christ the physician but to open it up to him for healing. At its heart, today’s reading is the mystery of vocation and discipleship. Christ calls whom he wants. Matthew listened to Christ’s call which unexpectedly comes to him and compelled him to a decision that changed not only what he did with his life but who he was as a person. The Lord invites: “Come, follow me!” /Vulnerasti, 2022

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