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21st Sep 

Feast of St. Matthew - Apostle

Read: (Eph 4: 1-7, 11-13; Matt 9: 9-13)

Reflect: Be prompt, leave everything, and follow Jesus...

Dear friends, today we are celebrating the feast of the St. Mathew, the apostle and evangelist. St. Matthew is one of the twelve apostles called and chosen by Jesus, when he was collecting tax in Capernaum. He is called as Levi, the tax collector in the Gospel of Matthew (Matt 9:9–13; Mk 2:13–17 and Lk 5:27–28). He is the traditional author of the first Synoptic Gospel, namely the Gospel According to Matthew. It is also said that the Gospel According to Matthew was certainly written for a Jewish Christian church in a strongly Jewish environment and surroundings. He is called as patron saint of tax collectors, bankers and accountants. Based on the readings and the saint of the day evangelist St. Matthew, I would like to share with you three points of reflection;

1. Be Prompt:

Promptness is doing things immediately without any delay. Promptness manifests our reliance on the other, respect for the other, readiness to do and be at the service of others. To the call of Jesus to Matthew, “follow me,” he immediately without giving any second thought follows Jesus. It shows his readiness and willingness to follow Jesus. That’s what we would hear from the first reading in St. Paul’s letter to Ephesians, urging all of us to walk in a manner worthy of the calling which each has been called for. It is true all of us are part of one family as we call on to the same Lord, with same faith, with one baptism having God as our father. But the grace of God has been given to each one of us by the measure of Christ’s gift. That’s why some are called as apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers to build the body of Christ and attain unity of faith and knowledge of the son of God to the stature of the fullness of Christ.

So it is a call of Jesus for conversion, conviction and commitment. Matthew does it so well and so quickly. This promptness could be perhaps the prompting of the Spirit to change and channelize life in the way God expected Matthew to be. Because, it is the spirit of God, which enables each one to answer the call of God. Today, what becomes hindrance to answer the call of God is our laziness, lukewarm feel, slow to listen and act on. So let us be quick and prompt to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in various events, situation and persons and answer the call of God for conversion and commitment in life.

2. Leave everything:

Leave everything would mean that we completely detach ourselves and offer totally to God. We rely on God and renew our lives in God. That’s what the Gospel reading manifests to us about St.  Matthew. The prompt action of St. Matthew leads him to leave everything and go behind Jesus. He leaves his profession as a tax-collector and moves on to collect people for God, following Jesus. Leaving his profession and walking behind Jesus only shows that Matthew relied on Jesus’ power and presence and understood that he needed a change and would be on the right track with Jesus.

The profession as a tax collector traces its origin long back in the history. The term “tax collector” probably refers to the ancient practice of purchasing a franchise to collect taxes for the state. By opening the projects to the private sector, the state would avoid the expense of creating and maintaining the labor force needed to collect taxes. The right to collect taxes was offered to the highest bidder, who would guarantee the share of the state from his own resources. So it was up to the tax collector to meet his share and also to make a profit on the deal. It was almost like a state-run business. The person who won the state contract was a chief tax collector who would take the help of the officials for completion of the task.

In that line, we have Zacchaeus in the New Testament as chief-tax-collector (Lk 19: 1-10) Matthew, the tax-collector (Matt 9: 6; 10:3; Mk 2:14; Lk 5:27; ).  It is said that in Jesus’ days the tax collectors made a living by gathering income for the Herods, who in turn paid tribute to Caesar. We also read in the gospels on both the occasions of Zacchaeus and Matthew, the crowd wasn’t happy that Jesus joins them and see the dislike among the people. It is because of the nature of the profession and the way in which probably they were considered a burden to people by way of collecting taxes. It was also viewed in Israel that paying taxes to Caesar as an act of betrayal and zealots held a view that Jews who paid taxes to Caesar forfeited their birthright as well.   

With such attitude and situation to a profession as tax-collector, which was so dear to him, by which he earned his livelihood; Matthew leaves the office, the profession, the people around him there and then and follows Jesus. It only makes us aware that he wishes to change his life, no more paying homage to roman emperors by collecting taxes but pay homage to God, collecting people for God, and following Jesus was the conviction of Matthew. We all of us have many things dear to us which hinder us move towards the green pastures or the brighter sides of life. It may be place, persons, things or objects, but if we leave all that is dear to us like Matthew and hold God and what is dear to God, we shall be blessed and be a blessing to everyone.

 3. Follow Jesus:

To follow would mean that we go along and move after someone or something and go where they go. Following another also would indicate an inspiration or an icon of motivation to model one’s life after the example of a leading figure.  The one who follows Jesus has the motive and mindset of Jesus as their pattern of life. That’s what we see in the Gospel reading. Matthew follows Jesus, fixes his eyes on to him and makes his to the journey that Jesus makes and the mission that Jesus has. The call of Mathew opens the door to realize our own calling and following Jesus. Jesus answers the question of the Pharisees as to why he eats with tax-collectors and sinners. The answer and the purpose of Jesus is very clear as Jesus says, “I desire mercy and not sacrifice and I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Yes, for Jesus mercy and compassion to sinners was a prim mission. Therefore, the one who follows Jesus need to keep in mind to merciful to one another and very specially giving preferences, priorities and promote people those who are weak, unholy and helpless to become people who become strong, holy and live a life in accordance with God’s words and principles. The call of Matthew reminds us to take seriously our own calling too. Today, we follow many people based on the fan base, fancy and fantasy, style and fashion, familiarity and fame etc, but it does not take us towards right direction and right person and so we lose sight of our purpose and focus. What can make our purpose and focus steady and stable is our undeterred zeal to follow Jesus and strong determination to be in the company of Jesus. Just as Matthew followed Jesus and focused his life on the right direction and personality, we shall also move towards Jesus, the perfect leader to follow and imitate.

Respond:

Are we prompt to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

What blocks our promptness? Are we able to leave that are dear to us to hold Jesus as our everything?

Do we follow Jesus and his teaching or someone who is well-fashioned and stylish or our own selves?

Let us be prompt to the voice of Jesus and the promptings of the Holy Spirit, leave everything that is dear to us to God and follow Jesus, the perfect leader for all times. Amen.

God Bless us all! Live Jesus! Happy Feast of St. Matthew, the Apostle. 

“Hasten while life is left in your Saviour's footsteps. But run ardently and swiftly. Following him is of little use, unless you succeed in accompanying him.” (St. Francis De Sales, TLG, Bk. III, Ch. 1, p. 90)

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS