The Call of St. Matthew

10th Sunday of Ordinary Time
Hosea 6:3-6; Psalms 50:1, 8, 12-13, 14-15
Romans 4:18-25; Matthew 9:9-13
June 8, 2008

The Call of St. Matthew

SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT WITHOUT Jesus, the seven days of the week would be “Mournday,” “Tearsday,” Wasteday,” “Thirstday,” “Fightday,” Shatterday” and “Sinday.”

There is something moving about today’s Gospel. It is a story of Matthew’s conversion when he got up as soon as he heard the words of Jesus, Follow me.

We can say that the Gospel passage today is the day when Matthew said goodbye to his “Mournday,” “Tearsday,” Wasteday,” “Thirstday,” “Fightday,” Shatterday” and “Sinday.”

When Matthew realised how important he is to Jesus his whole life dramatically changed. Instantly his eyes were open and discovered his true self.

Reflection
Let us see briefly the profile of each character in today’s Gospel and hopefully learn something from them. We have Matthew, the Pharisees and Jesus, as the main characters in today’s Gospel story.

Matthew as clearly mentioned in the Gospel was a tax collector. In the Jewish society during the time of Jesus tax collectors were considered ‘unclean people’, public sinners and traitors to their own country because they collaborated with the Roman occupying power in the gathering of taxes. Their profession was often marked with corruption and dishonesty.

Jewish people hated them, particularly the religious leaders, so much so that they were forbidden to join them in public worship in the synagogues or to act as witnesses in court. Matthew couldn’t care less; he loved money enough to have defied all that. But not until when Jesus called him up.

Matthew is a person who doesn’t procrastinate. He answers Jesus’ call at once; he didn’t think twice or make any excuses. He leaves everything and follows with great joy and gratitude. And this is a remarkable character of Matthew who is considered notorious by his own people.

To celebrate his personal conversion, he instantly organized a farewell dinner with his friends, his fellow tax collectors, and all his gang who were considered public outcasts.

It was on this occasion when the Pharisees, the second character of today’s Gospel story, entered the scene. The Pharisees were group of pious religious leaders during that time. They were extremely shocked (probably they nearly had a heart attack!) when they saw Jesus partying with Matthew and with all his friends (or mates).

It was a general custom for the Jewish people not to eat with public sinners such as tax collectors. Any association with them will make you ‘unclean.’ The Pharisees complained to the disciples, Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?

JESUS, overhearing their complaint answers back the Pharisees with the core message of today’s Gospel: Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do; I desire mercy, not sacrifice; I did not come to call the righteous but sinners. In three simple sentences Jesus expresses the true image of God – a compassionate, a forgiving, and most of all a loving God.

Jesus is not interested in preserving his social status but he is more interested in helping sinners. Jesus hates sin but loves sinners and wishes to set them free. Jesus hates our sinfulness but not our being as a person. No matter how grievous our sins or how long our list of sins may be Jesus loves us just the same. We are important and precious ones before his eyes. He loves us individually as if we are the only person on earth.

Saints in the making
No matter how sinful we are, you and I, all of us are candidate to be saints.

Who would have think that a tax collector like Matthew, would be become one of the gospel writers (in fact he himself is the author of today’s Gospel)?

There is a saying: “Every Saint Has a Past, Every Sinner a Future.”

We pray today that we may imitate St. Matthew who promptly left his past and joyfully followed our Lord.

Our Lord assures us today that we can be saints and joyful people. This possible only when we follow him everyday, this means – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.