September 21st, 2018

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

LECTIONARY
643

FIRST READING
EPH 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one Body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

PSALM
PS 19:2-3, 4-5

Response: Their message goes out through all the earth.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.

Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.

GOSPEL
MT 9:9-13

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.”

Daily Reflection

21st September 2018

St Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

The Gospel introduces the very writer of that Gospel, St. Mathew, whose feast we celebrate today.

Mathew was a tax collector - a much despised profession at the time of Jesus. Tax collectors were reviled because, though Jews, they collaborated with the occupying Roman Government, and were thus considered as traitors. Besides, they were known to overcharge and take their cut from the taxes.

So, when Jesus calls Mathew and then dines with him and his friends who were also ‘many tax collectors and sinners’, it offended the self-righteous Pharisees. This, then, becomes the occasion for Jesus to define his mission. He portrays himself as a physician come to care for the sick, “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” This is a fitting reminder to all of us to stop being judgmental of the world and people around us, and to focus on how we can be better witnesses of Christ love.