The Calling of Saint Matthew
Caravaggio
1599-1600
Oil on canvas, 322 x 340 cm
Contarelli Chapel, San Luigi dei Francesi, Rome
Posted on 09/20/2013 9:26:35 PM PDT by Salvation
September 21, 2013
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
Reading 1 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 manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.
Responsorial Psalm PS 19:2-3, 4-5
R. (5) 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 Mt 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.”
Saint Matthew the Apostle
Feast Day
September 21st
Saint Matthew, after the Book of Kells - watercolor, Copyright ©Burke Meese 2004
Apostle and evangelist.
The name Matthew is derived from the Hebrew Mattija, being shortened to Mattai in post-Biblical Hebrew. In Greek it is sometimes spelled Maththaios, BD, and sometimes Matthaios, CEKL, but grammarians do not agree as to which of the two spellings is the original.
Matthew is spoken of five times in the New Testament; first in Matthew 9:9, when called by Jesus to follow Him, and then four times in the list of the Apostles, where he is mentioned in the seventh (Luke 6:15, and Mark 3:18), and again in the eighth place (Matthew 10:3, and Acts 1:13). The man designated in Matthew 9:9, as "sitting in the custom house", and "named Matthew" is the same as Levi, recorded in Mark 2:14, and Luke 5:27, as "sitting at the receipt of custom". The account in the three Synoptics is identical, the vocation of Matthew-Levi being alluded to in the same terms. Hence Levi was the original name of the man who was subsequently called Matthew; the Maththaios legomenos of Matthew 9:9, would indicate this.
The fact of one man having two names is of frequent occurrence among the Jews. It is true that the same person usually bears a Hebrew name such as "Shaoul" and a Greek name, Paulos. However, we have also examples of individuals with two Hebrew names as, for instance, Joseph-Caiaphas, Simon-Cephas, etc. It is probable that Mattija, "gift of Iaveh", was the name conferred upon the tax-gatherer by Jesus Christ when He called him to the Apostolate, and by it he was thenceforth known among his Christian brethren, Levi being his original name.
Matthew, the son of Alpheus (Mark 2:14) was a Galilean, although Eusebius informs us that he was a Syrian. As tax-gatherer at Capharnaum, he collected custom duties for Herod Antipas, and, although a Jew, was despised by the Pharisees, who hated all publicans. When summoned by Jesus, Matthew arose and followed Him and tendered Him a feast in his house, where tax-gatherers and sinners sat at table with Christ and His disciples. This drew forth a protest from the Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked in these consoling words: "I came not to call the just, but sinners".
No further allusion is made to Matthew in the Gospels, except in the list of the Apostles. As a disciple and an Apostle he thenceforth followed Christ, accompanying Him up to the time of His Passion and, in Galilee, was one of the witnesses of His Resurrection. He was also amongst the Apostles who were present at the Ascension, and afterwards withdrew to an upper chamber, in Jerusalem, praying in union with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with his brethren (Acts 1:10 and 1:14).
Of Matthew's subsequent career we have only inaccurate or legendary data. St. Irenæus tells us that Matthew preached the Gospel among the Hebrews, St. Clement of Alexandria claiming that he did this for fifteen years, and Eusebius maintains that, before going into other countries, he gave them his Gospel in the mother tongue. Ancient writers are not as one as to the countries evangelized by Matthew, but almost all mention Ethiopia to the south of the Caspian Sea (not Ethiopia in Africa), and some Persia and the kingdom of the Parthians, Macedonia, and Syria.
According to Heracleon, who is quoted by Clement of Alexandria, Matthew did not die a martyr, but this opinion conflicts with all other ancient testimony. Let us add, however, that the account of his martyrdom in the apocryphal Greek writings entitled "Martyrium S. Matthæi in Ponto" and published by Bonnet, "Acta apostolorum apocrypha" (Leipzig, 1898), is absolutely devoid of historic value. Lipsius holds that this "Martyrium S. Matthæi", which contains traces of Gnosticism, must have been published in the third century.
There is a disagreement as to the place of St. Matthew's martyrdom and the kind of torture inflicted on him, therefore it is not known whether he was burned, stoned, or beheaded. The Roman Martyrology simply says: "S. Matthæi, qui in Æthiopia prædicans martyrium passus est".
Various writings that are now considered apocryphal, have been attributed to St. Matthew. In the "Evangelia apocrypha" (Leipzig, 1876), Tischendorf reproduced a Latin document entitled: "De Ortu beatæ Mariæ et infantia Salvatoris", supposedly written in Hebrew by St. Matthew the Evangelist, and translated into Latin by Jerome, the priest. It is an abridged adaptation of the "Protoevangelium" of St. James, which was a Greek apocryphal of the second century. This pseudo-Matthew dates from the middle or the end of the sixth century.
The Latin Church celebrates the feast of St. Matthew on September 21, and the Greek Church on November 16. St. Matthew is represented under the symbol of a winged man, carrying in his hand a lance as a characteristic emblem.
Principal Source the Catholic Encyclopedia
Collect:
O God, who with untold mercy
were pleased to choose as an Apostle
Saint Matthew, the tax collector,
grant that, sustained by his example and intercession,
we may merit to hold firm in following you.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. +Amen.
First Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
Gospel Reading: Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.
And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Feast Day: September 21
Died: January 24, near Hierapolis or Ethiopia
Patron of: accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, customs officers, financial officers, guards, money managers, security forces, security guards, stock brokers, tax collectors
St. Matthew
Feast Day: September 21
Born / Died : (around the time of Jesus)
Matthew was a tax collector in the city of Capernaum, where Jesus lived. He was a Jew who worked for the Romans. For this reason, his countrymen disliked him. They called him a "public sinner," as they felt he was betraying his own people.
But Jesus did not feel that way about Matthew. One day, Jesus saw Matthew sitting in his office and he said, "Follow me." At once, Matthew left his money and his position to follow Jesus.
Jesus seemed so holy and king-like that Matthew gave a big supper for Jesus. He invited other friends to meet Jesus and listen to him teach.
Some people found fault with Jesus for sharing a meal with those whom they considered sinners. However, Jesus had a ready answer. "They who are well do not need a doctor; the sick do. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance."
When Jesus went back to heaven, St. Matthew stayed in Palestine. He remained there for some time to preach about the Lord.
We are familiar with the Gospel of Matthew, which is the story of Jesus and what he taught. St. Matthew presents Jesus to his own people. The Lord is the Messiah whom the prophets had said would come to save us.
After preaching the Gospel to many people, St. Matthew finally gave his life as a glorious martyr for the faith.
Saturday, September 21
Liturgical Color: Red
Today is the Feast of St. Matthew,
Apostle and Evangelist. After the
Resurrection, it is thought that he
preached to the Jews for 15 years,
then in Ethiopia and other
countries until he received a martyr's
death.
Daily Readings for: September 21, 2013
(Readings on USCCB website)
Collect: O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
RECIPES
o Pancake Party for Young People
ACTIVITIES
o Family and Friends of Jesus Scrapbook Album
PRAYERS
o A Child's Gospel Night Prayer
LIBRARY
Ordinary Time: September 21st
Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Old Calendar: St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
At the time that Jesus summoned him to follow Him, Matthew was a publican, that is, a tax-collector for the Romans. His profession was hateful to the Jews because it reminded them of their subjection; the publican, also, was regarded by the pharisees as the typical sinner. St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist. He was the first to put down in writing our Lord's teaching and the account of His life. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke.
St. Matthew
No one was more shunned by the Jews than a publican, who was a Jew working for the Roman enemy by robbing his own people and making a large personal profit. Publicans were not allowed to trade, eat, or even pray with others Jews.
One day, while seated at his table of books and money, Jesus looked at Matthew and said two words: "Follow me." This was all that was needed to make Matthew rise, leaving his pieces of silver to follow Christ. His original name, "Levi," in Hebrew signifies "Adhesion" while his new name in Christ, Matthew, means "Gift of God." The only other outstanding mention of Matthew in the Gospels is the dinner party for Christ and His companions to which he invited his fellow tax-collectors. The Jews were surprised to see Jesus with a publican, but Jesus explained that he had come "not to call the just, but sinners."
St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist, with his Gospel being the first in the New Testament. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke and was written to convince the Jews that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus.
Not much else is known about Matthew. According to tradition, he preached in Egypt and Ethiopia and further places East. Some legends say he lived until his nineties, dying a peaceful death, others say he died a martyr's death.
In the traditional symbolization of the evangelists, based on Ezech. 1:5-10 and Rev. 4:6-7, the image of the winged man is accorded to Matthew because his Gospel begins with the human genealogy of Christ.
Patron: Accountants; bankers; bookkeepers; customs officers; security guards; stock brokers; tax collectors; Salerno, Italy.
Symbols: Angel holding a pen or inkwell; bag of coins; loose coins; halberd; inkwell; king; lance; man holding money; man holding money box and/or glasses; money bag; money box; purse; spear; sword; winged man; young man; book; man sitting at a desk.
Things to Do:
Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
Follow me. (Matthew 9:9)
There you were, Matthew, sitting at your customs post, just as you did every other day of the week. But how your life changed that day! Jesus, the rabbi you had heard so much about, passed by—and singled you out! He wanted you, a tax collector and a “sinner,” to follow him. How your heart must have leapt as you looked into that kind and compassionate face. It was an invitation you could not turn down. You did not waste any time, but got up and invited him into your home. Pray for us, Matthew, to have the grace to respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow him as you did.
You invited all your friends to your home for a dinner. They were public sinners like you, the only people who would associate with you. You wanted them to know how your life had changed and how theirs could too: Jesus loved them, and all their sins—no matter how big—could be forgiven. Pray for us, Matthew, that we may be eager to tell our friends and family about Jesus and the change he has brought about in our lives.
What an honor it was for you to be called by Jesus to be one of the Twelve. Were you surprised that he would invite you into his inner circle? Surely you must have felt unworthy. And yet you had been healed by this great Physician, so you happily left the past behind you and took up your new calling. Pray for us, Matthew, that we too will be quick to seek God’s healing love.
You proclaimed the good news far and wide—not only in your lifetime but in the words you left for us in the Gospel that bears your name. We thank you for this life-giving message that shows how Jesus is the fulfillment of all God’s promises, the fulfillment of all our dreams. Pray for us, Matthew, that we will embrace all of these promises and let them change our lives.
“Jesus, like Matthew, I too need your mercy. Heal me of my sin. Through your word, shine your light through me so that with my whole being I will proclaim the good news of your mercy and love.”
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13; Psalm 19:2-5
FOLLOW ME: THE STORY OF ST. MATTHEW
“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, ‘Follow Me’. And he rose and followed Him” (Matthew 9:9).
Today, September 21, the Church celebrates the Feast of St. Matthew, the tax collector turned to be apostle of Christ and evangelist. In Jesus’ day, most of the Israelites despised tax collectors. Tax collectors not only worked for the Roman government, but they often took even more money from people (to pad their own pockets) than was required by their Roman-appointed post. Thus, Jesus undoubtedly surprised everyone by choosing a tax collector as an apostle. But Matthew, in spite of his occupation, accepted the Lord’s call.
God has built His Church on the foundation stones of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers (Ephesians 4:11). He has designed His Church in such a way that a variety of gifts are necessary for it to survive – in both the local and universal church. Who are the prophets, evangelists, and apostles in your local church? Certainly bishops and priests are called to pastor and teach the flock. But God’s gifts do not stop there! As baptized members of the body of Christ, we are all called to serve in bringing God’s love and truth into the world.
Like the early apostles, Jesus wants to send us out as ambassadors for His Kingdom (see 2Corinthians 5:20). He wants to work with and through each one of us, and He promises that we will bear much fruit if we abide in His word (John 15:5,16). As St. Thérèse of Lisieux said, “It is Jesus who does everything in me …… God has deigned to fill my little hand, as often as necessary, to nourish the souls of my sisters.”
How can we become the people that God calls us to be? When we serve others with generosity, we witness to the joy of the Gospel. When we take a stand for truth and justice, we allow Jesus’ light to shine. Let us sow the seeds of the Gospel by speaking to our friends, neighbors, and coworkers about the love of Christ. Let us help them grow in understanding God’s word by inviting them to a Bible study and/or other programs of the parish church. As we reach out – even if just a little – we will begin to widen people’s expectations of what God can do in them, through them, and for them as they grow into the maturity of Jesus Christ.
My Sisters and Brothers, let us imitate St. Matthew and take up our apostolic calling.
Daily Marriage Tip for September 21, 2013:
If one of you is sad, sick, or depressed how can you tell? What do you usually do to comfort each other? Does talking about it help or only make it worse? Do hugs and kisses help? Would you rather be left alone? What does your beloved want you to do to help? Ask.
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Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
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Father Barry O’Toole, LC Matthew 9:9-13 As Jesus passed on from there, 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." Introductory Prayer: You are true goodness and life, Lord. Closeness to you brings peace and joy. You deserve all of my trust and my love. Thank you for the gift of life, my family and above all of my faith. I’m grateful too, for the gift of the Church which you founded on the Apostles. Petition: Lord, help me to be simple and straightforward in my faith. 1. Simplicity Is Bliss: The tax collectors were considered traitors of the Jewish people since they were working for the Romans, the “oppressors” of God’s chosen people. The ordinary Jew would not even converse with one such as this. But Jesus says to him, “Follow me.” Matthew got up and followed him immediately, no questions asked, no conditions. What beautiful simplicity! He didn’t know that Christ was going to make him one of the Twelve. In a certain sense we might say that he signed a blank check and gave it to Jesus. Matthew doesn’t sit down to calculate, he only accepts. He then goes a step further: He invites Jesus to his house for dinner. A Jew generally invited only his true and closest friends and relatives to dinner. It was a sign of intimacy, friendship and love. Matthew goes overboard and lays out the red carpet for Christ in his life. 2. Complicated Calculations: In contrast to Matthew’s straightforwardness, we see the Pharisees’ “righteousness.” Jesus’ dining with a sinner like Matthew is a scandal for them. They really have to confront this Rabbi about his “shameful conduct.” The problem is that they haven’t understood the first thing about the Messiah. Their very point of departure is flawed. They are looking at Christ (and God) from a very rational perspective when the only valid outlook is faith and love. This happens frequently in our lives as we begin to judge events, circumstances and others without faith and charity. Before we realize it, we may have rejected and possibly even defamed our neighbor, a civil authority, or a priest or bishop. We are not looking at things from a supernatural vantage point but rather from our merely human standards. 3. Back to the Basics: Christ puts everything back into perspective. "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." Once again Jesus invites us to elevate our thoughts to a supernatural plain. Why did God become man? We repeat it frequently, at least every Sunday in the Creed: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven.…” It is important to examine the degree to which I see and judge everything in my life through the prism of faith. A true believer, a real apostle, must form this “sixth sense” in all of his daily dealings. We form this habit through prayer, our frequent and intimate contact with God. We need to ask God for the gift of faith, which gives us a new perspective on life. Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I want to be a simple person, one who accepts you and your demands without calculations and complications. Free me from all impediments and grant me your grace so that I might become a convinced, faithful and intrepid apostle of your kingdom, as was St Matthew. Resolution: In prayerful dialogue with God, I will examine at least three moments or events of my day. (This I can do even at home, in the car or waiting in line, etc.) |
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