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| “Matthew and the Angel” by Caravaggio, 1602 |
Commentary:
Reading 1: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13
Commentary on Eph 4:1-7, 11-13
He goes on speaking of the unity of different parts of the living body of Christ, the Church, saying that different gifts were given (similar lists are found at Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1-31). He begins the list of gifts with those of spiritual leadership; Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These have been called to service to others.
CCC: Eph 4-6 1454; Eph 4-5 1971; Eph 4:2 2219; Eph 4:3-5 866; Eph 4:3 814; Eph 4:4-6 172, 249, 2790; Eph 4:7 913; Eph 4:11-16 794; Eph 4:11-13 669; Eph 4:11 1575; Eph 4:13 674, 695, 2045
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5
R. (5) Their message goes out through all the earth.
Commentary on Ps 19:2-3, 4-5
Psalm 19 is a song of praise with the earth’s elements proclaiming the greatness of God who created them. In all that is, the handy work of God is proclaimed. Placed as it is on the feast of St. Matthew, this passage with its antiphon reminds us of the great work of spreading the Gospel of Christ.
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Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13
Commentary on Mt 9:9-13
The journey of Jesus continues with the Lord’s encounter with Matthew (Levi in St. Mark’s Gospel), the tax collector. The Pharisees are scandalized because this renowned teacher has chosen to associate with “sinners” who clearly violate some of the numerous laws about ritual purity (Matthew 5:46). Jesus’ response “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” makes it clear that interior faith is more highly prized than purely ritualistic rigor.
This passage is the call of St. Matthew into discipleship. His profession as customs worker or tax collector would have stimulated controversy among the Scribes and Pharisees and the presence of others of the same type at the meal described would have caused ritual impurity. However, as with his disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John, Jesus calls him as he is engaged in his profession. The question the Pharisees ask, because such contact would have caused ritual impurity, would have been construed as a critical remark. The Lord responded with a challenge quoting Hosea 6:6 and punctuated his response with the observation that those who were critical of his associations did not understand the scriptures they professed to represent.
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Reflection:
Have you ever wondered why the Church celebrates memorials and feasts dedicated to certain individuals whom we call saints and for certain events in the life of the Church? Why is it important to remember, for instance, Saint Matthew the Evangelist? It is not as if we could forget who he is. He wrote one of the four Gospels and is listed as one of the Apostles.
Have you recently celebrated a birthday or anniversary for a member of your own family? Why do we do that? It is first of all to celebrate the gift of that person in our lives and to honor them as member of our family or circle of friends. During these occasions, especially the more formal ones, we frequently recall a person’s exploits, accomplishments, and contributions to either our family or society as a whole. It is also a way of remembering them. We often celebrate birthdays (albeit frequently in a more somber way) of our loved ones who have passed from this life to the next. In love, we remember their contributions to our lives and recognize their importance to us, even though they have gone on before us.
Today, as a community of faith, we remember St. Matthew (AKA Levi), tax collector and, in the eyes of his contemporaries, a sinner. He was called without fanfare while going about his profession, one which was not held in high esteem by polite and religious society of the time. We especially remember him because Jesus chose him. No mention is made about any previous contact – the Lord just saw him sitting there and said “Follow me.” And he did,
We remember the fact that he didn’t have a long discussion about the practical virtues of his post vs. embarking on a road of poverty with an itinerate preacher who passed by. He did not say “Let me think about it.” He followed then and there. While we don’t hear much about his exploits while he waked with Jesus in those three years of his active ministry, we know he was there. We know this because he recorded it for us to read about. Isn’t it ironic that we know so little about the person who crafted one of the principle works of scripture? Even in the Gospel attributed to him, he never calls himself any more than a follower of Jesus. St. John had a habit of repeating a various times the phrase”…the Disciple whom Jesus loved” presumably himself. St. Matthew did no such thing. His humility is inspirational and quite appropriate since he followed one who “emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.”
To answer the rhetorical question asked at the beginning, we celebrate the lives of saints for the same reason we celebrate other important people and events in our lives. First to give them honor and second to remember the impact they have had on our lives. In St. Matthew’s case, as Apostle and Evangelist he shaped us and the Church. Much like a parent (in this case something like a very good Godfather) he made us into the people we are. For this we give him thanks and ask in a special way for his on-going prayers of intercession; for certainly one who walked with the Lord in life would be close to him in his heavenly kingdom.
Pax
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