Matthew 9:9-13

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

Matthew 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.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, overcome any resistance I may have to the call of your Son. When I hear his words, “Follow me,” move me to abandon all that keeps me from you or holds me back. I am your disciple and apostle. Here I am, Lord, send me!

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Public Sinner: Matthew, also called Levi, was the tax collector at Capernaum. As a tax collector, he was regarded by many Jewish people as a public sinner. He “worked hand in glove with the reigning power and had to be classed as a public sinner on account of his social position” (Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth, Vol. 1, 178). We do not know if Matthew was a fair and just tax collector or a corrupt one. In either case, he was judged by many as a sinner: “Matthew, in fact, not only handled money deemed impure because of its provenance from people foreign to the People of God, but he also collaborated with an alien and despicably greedy authority whose tributes, moreover, could be arbitrarily determined” (Benedict XVI, Jesus, the Apostles, and the Early Church, 82).

2. True Holiness: By calling Matthew the tax collector to be one of his disciples, Jesus likely provoked the harsh judgment of the Pharisees, who sought to be pure and insulate themselves from any foreign Gentile contact. The Pharisees are often an example of hypocritical and false holiness. They thought they were righteous by their own efforts to keep the law and abide by their human traditions. By contrast, the life of Matthew shows us what true holiness consists in: “[I]n the figure of Matthew, the Gospels present to us a true and proper paradox: those who seem to be the farthest from holiness can even become a model of the acceptance of God’s mercy and offer a glimpse of its marvelous effects in their own lives” (Benedict XVI,Jesus, the Apostles, and the Early Church, 83). Matthew immediately left everything to follow Jesus. He rose up, detached himself from a sinful situation, and began a new life in communion with Jesus (see Benedict XVI, Jesus, the Apostles, and the Early Church, 84). Filled with and empowered by God’s grace, Matthew was able to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

3. The Gospel according to Matthew: Each of the Gospels approaches the mystery of Jesus from a different angle and with a unique perspective. John likely wrote his Gospel last. He told stories about Jesus not recorded in the other three Gospels, defended the divinity of Jesus, gave us the words of Jesus on the night before he died, and delved into the sacramental mysteries of the Church. Luke’s Gospel is informed by eyewitness testimony and the preaching of Paul. It offers the Good News of salvation to Israel, the Gentiles, the poor, the lowly, the humble, and the outcast. Mark’s Gospel is directed to Gentiles in the Roman Empire and is based on the preaching of Peter. It focuses on Jesus as the suffering Messiah and Son of God who invites his disciples to share in his suffering and glory. Matthew’s Gospel presents Jesus as the New Moses, who through his five discourses and many actions inaugurates the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The Kingdom, Matthew teaches, belongs to the poor in spirit and those who are persecuted. The Kingdom will grow until the end of time, transform society, and give shelter to both sinners and saints. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I am like Matthew the Apostle. I have been anxious and worried with the things of this world and need to leave them and follow you. Inspire me today to know what I am attached to and what I need to leave behind.

Living the Word of God: How familiar am I with each of the four Gospels? If someone were to ask me to tell them about the Gospels and what is unique to them, would I be an effective witness? What can I do to know the Gospels better? Time with each of them in prayer? Do I need to dedicate time this month to study them?