Saint Mathew, Apostle, and Evangelist (Feast)
Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13 Mathew 9:9-13
Theme: A call to be ‘you’
Today the church celebrates the feast of saint Mathew, Apostle, and Evangelist. A man who responded positively to the invitation of Jesus Christ and followed him closely until the end of his life. As we celebrate him today, the readings we have emphasize the need for us to be mindful of our call. In the 1st reading of today from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, we are reminded to live our lives according to our call as children of God. By implication, we are encouraged to live our lives according to the teachings of Christ and the word of the scripture. By so doing, we will be living a life that is worthy of our call as children of God that we are called to be.
This also means that our lives should not be guided by the ways of the world if it is not in line with the teachings of Christ himself. Suffice it to say that we should mirror Christ and his teachings in our daily lives as children of God. St. Paul is saying to us today that we should be always mindful of this fact because we are ambassadors for Christ. Our union with Christ at the end is very important to all of us as children of God. So, let us be mindful of this fact and continue to shine like the light of the world that we are called to be, darkness has no place in our lives as children of God.
However, the call to be ‘you’ is dependent on how you decide to respond to it. A positive response will reflect in our daily lives and in our human relationships. It is not an easy task to mirror Christ in everything we do in our daily lives, taking into consideration the fact that people are more attracted to the ways of the world. But if we are sincere to truly accept this wonderful invitation presented to us today by God, he will grant us the necessary graces we need to make it happen in our lives. Our sincerity to embrace the ways of God, is the first step towards making it happen in our lives. It is never too late to resolve to do the right thing in our daily lives. The time is now!
In the gospel reading of today, we are presented with the call of Mathew. Jesus called him and he left everything and followed him, without giving excuses. The people around could not understand why Jesus will be comfortable to associate himself with tax collectors who were referred to as public sinners. Jesus used the opportunity to educate the people, his mission is to call the sinners and not the righteous. God loves all of us as his children and he desires that none of us is lost at the end. He is a God of mercy and compassion.
May the Lord bless his words in our hearts in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit. Amen. Peace be with you.