Saturday 21 September 2019
St Matthew
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13. Psalm 18(19):2-5. Matthew 9:9-13.
Their message goes out through all the earth – Psalm 18(19):2-5
‘And he got up and followed him’
One cannot help liking St Matthew. He answers Jesus’ call so promptly and so wholeheartedly. He invites Jesus to celebrate his conversion with a party, to which he invites his shady, tax-collector friends: all of them, like Matthew, despised as the hirelings of an occupying power.
Jesus makes the gathering an occasion to remind us that we are not in a position to condemn anyone, for we too are sinners. We too sometimes fail in our attentiveness to God, and this realisation encourages us to a certain humility.
In his gospel, Matthew reminds us that we also are called to bring God’s love to others. St Paul puts it this way: ‘Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience.’ Lord Jesus, give me that grace that you gave Matthew, that of responding promptly to your call, and to embodying your spirit of love and service.
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