September 21, 2009
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
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. Ephesians 4:1b-3
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. Matthew 9:12-13
Piety
Listen to the song “One Faith” by Michael Card and John Michael Talbot at this web address:
http://songza.fm/song/michael-card-john-michael-talbot-one-faith:a2r3-AgYguIi7fMI
Study
Twenty-five weeks into the liturgical calendar for ordinary time, we hold in our hands the Holy Invitation. This is the invitation that Jesus never stops sending. So whether we are in week one or week thirty-four, Jesus invites us daily.
Jesus of Nazareth requests the honor of your company at a dinner to be given in his honor. Come and you will see. All you must do is pick up your cross and follow him. RSVP in the way you live according to the Gospel.
Jesus did not invite Matthew or you or me to be Jewish or Catholic or Roman. He invited us to follow him. In this call, the hope for the unity of the Christian community resounds. Whether Catholic or Baptist, Presbyterian or Lutheran, Coptic or Greek Orthodox, we share in one baptism to the same friendship of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, in real life, everyone does not accept everyone else.
That fact is similar to the social judgments popular in Jesus’ day. When Jesus eats with tax collectors, the Pharisees wonder why he consorts with sinners. Jesus rejects their assumptions. There are many traditions that would have prevented Jesus from acting in certain ways. However, Jesus is not the Tradition. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Light. His way can not be wrong.
Jesus did not come to call the self-righteous. He came to invite all of us to follow him with the Holy Invitation that he delivers today to Matthew.
Action
Rather than looking to exploit reasons to divide us into categories, Paul urges us to recognize the one hope of our call – Jesus Christ.
Are we capable of responding to Jesus' call to change our live and where we place our pursuit of happiness? Are we capable of responding in faith to the Holy Invitation contained in the Gospels?
Who are the “tax collectors” in your life? Why do you reject them? Are you willing to sit down with them? Are you willing to accept healing from the physician?
