Monday September 21

Matthew, Apostle (Feast)

THE CALL OF MATTHEW

Introduction

From a despised tax-collector, appraised no higher than a public sinner or a pagan, Matthew becomes an apostle. He is living proof that Jesus came to call sinners. And among the apostles he is one of the two who witnessed to Christ not only with their life and work but also their writing. He is with us today to strengthen our faith. He shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of the scriptures and how our communities today, like his long ago, have to put the Good News of Jesus into practice.

Opening Prayer

Lord God of mercy,
you show us today
in your apostle and evangelist Matthew
how you put the self-righteous to shame
and call sinners to the task
of bringing your Son's good news to the world.
Forgive us our pride and reassure us
that we can count on you and your love
because we are weak and sinful people.
Let us share in your message and life
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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 to manhood, to the extent of the
full stature of Christ.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:2–3, 4–5

R. 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.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
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.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Gospel: Reading: Mt 9:9-13

As Jesus moved on, he saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the custom-house, and he said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and other sinners joined Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, "Why is it that your master eats with those sinners and tax collectors?"
When Jesus heard this he said, "Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Commentary

Matthew is an evangelist, a prophet, and a disciple among the Twelve. We all share the same hope and the same call and so must make every effort to preserve unity among us. We must all strive to build up one another in the knowledge of God's Son and to share the favor that has been given to us. Matthew's Gospel: emphasizes many of these exhortations because his community was being torn apart by persecution by the Romans and the Jews and they are struggling as Jewish and Gentile Christians to be one heart and mind in Christ. Matthew was a tax collector. He stops taking from others to give to the state and the temple treasury. He begins giving of the mercy and healing/health of mind/soul/spirit that Jesus so graciously offered to him. What are we called to leave behind so that we can begin giving to each other?

Alternative

A pastor once ran into a “lost sheep” of his parish. This man had stopped going to church a long time ago. The pastor gently invited him to return to church. The man said with no little self-righteousness: “Father, I don’t go because the church is full of crooks and hypocrites.” And the pastor responded: “If so, please do come. We can always make room for one more.”
The Church belongs to saints and sinners alike. Perhaps more sinners than saints, for the Church exists for their sake: “Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do.” We go to Church not to proclaim our righteousness to the world, but to humbly declare our sinfulness and need for God, and to receive His mercy and healing. By calling Matthew to belong to his band of apostles, Jesus makes it very clear that from the greatest to the least in the Church, everyone is sinful and all stand in need of God’s mercy.

Intercessions

- For the Church, a community of saints and sinners, that we, the People of God and our leaders, may not condemn those who have failed, but with God give them new chances in life, we pray:
- For people who have failed and no longer believe in themselves, in God or in the community, that they may draw new hope from our compassion and understanding, we pray:
- For priests and religious, that they may keep trusting in the Lord who called them notwithstanding their human frailty; that with Christ they may care especially for the poor and the weak, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, merciful Father,
your Son Jesus Christ was eating
with tax collectors and sinners
because they needed him.
We bring this bread and this wine before you,
that he may sit at table with us
because we too need him.
Accept his sacrifice and ours
so that sins may be forgiven
and that we may live in your love
now and for ever.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God, merciful Father,
through your Son in our midst
help us to be mild and compassionate
without condemning anyone,
for you have been gentle to us.
And do not let us boast
of our human achievements,
for we owe everything
to your grace and your call
in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Blessing

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I have come to call not the righteous but sinners." Let these words change our attitude toward people, also toward ourselves, and make us mild and understanding to everyone, with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.