Friday, September 21, 2018
Matthew, Apostle
1st Reading: Eph 4:1-7,11-13
Gospel: Matthew 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.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Tax collectors like Matthew were frowned upon as public sinners. Here are the reasons why. Under the arrangement of tax collection in those days tax collectors only had to remit a fixed amount to a financial procurator. They were empowered by the Roman government to collect from their own people the taxes they saw fit to collect. In the process they amassed wealth that could equal to many times the fixed amount remitted to the procurator. For oppressing their own people they were considered traitors and hated by their countrymen.
Matthew was one such tax collector. Notwithstanding the infamous character attached to this job, he clung to it because the wealth he derived from his office was just irresistible. But when Jesus came to his life his priority shifted. He left his post and became a disciple. There were so many teachers and rabbis in those times, but it was only for the sake of Jesus that Matthew made this big sacrifice. He must have found in Jesus so much goodwill for public sinners.
The people were not happy the predilection given by Jesus to this man. They simply hated tax collectors like him to the bone. Under the laws of the Jews, a tax collector was impure, and anyone who associated himself with a tax collector was also treated an outcast. Jesus took the risk of being lumped with these outcasts by reaching out to tax collectors and sinners. He did not make it difficult for them. He merely required a repentant disposition from them. Jesus saw this kind of disposition in Matthew when he abandoned his lucrative job. Deep within this person known to be a selfish taker of the hard-earned money of his fellowmen was a repentant heart ready for the sowing of the seed of conversion. Matthew became an apostle who gave himself totally to others as Christ’s disciple.
What are we willing to give up in order to allow God to stir our hearts to conversion?- ((Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M. Email: [email protected].
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