Desire Mercy

Desire Mercy

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Ephesians 4:7

“Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”  Matthew 9:13

Piety

The light basking on the hand of Jesus in Caravaggio's painting of the call of St. Matthew reminds some of the hand of God on the Sistine Chapel.  Jesus reaches out to call St. Matthew away from his family, his work, his friends, his co-workers, and his possessions.  Matthew cannot even make eye contact with Jesus at this critical moment he is lost in introspection.  Will he stay or will he go?

Study

Twenty-five weeks into the liturgical calendar for ordinary time, we hold in our hands the “Holy Invitation” that Jesus never stops sending. Whether we are in week one or week thirty-four, Jesus invites us daily by requesting the honor of our company at a dinner to be given in his honor.

“Come and you will see.”

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.

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.  Matthew can see clearly…now.  Maybe not always.  However, the change is what Jesus emphasizes with the disciples.  Whether it is Peter leaving behind his boats or Matthew leaving the tax rolls, they and all the other disciples did indeed “follow” Jesus. 

The learned Pharisees and scribes do not fully grasp the person of Jesus.  Their words convey that limit when they ask, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”  They see Jesus ONLY as a teacher, not as the Son of Man.  They use traditional Mosaic Law to evaluate Jesus and his actions.   Eating with sinners and tax collectors would require a ritual cleansing at the temple. 

Just as people change, the law is changing, too.  The Hebrew Bible stressed sacrifice.  Jesus stresses love and mercy.

Action

Break out of your routine and invite an unusual guest to dinner.  

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?

Are we capable of responding to Jesus' call to change our life?  Can we change where we place our pursuit of happiness? Are we capable of responding in faith to the Holy Invitation contained in the Gospels?

Suppose that the Pharisees of Fairfax or Arlington were watching Jesus at his house this week. Would Jesus invite you over to his place to dine with the rest of the sinners? Would you accept the invitation like St. Matthew did?

In fact, Jesus would invite you and does indeed invite you every day to the banquet He has prepared.  Our challenge is to accept the Great Invitation like St, Matthew whose feast day we celebrate today. Jesus invited Matthew with the simple words, “Follow me.” Matthew was so moved that he left his tax collecting and followed Jesus.