Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Today's Mass Readings

“I plead with you… live a life worthy of the calling you have re¬ceived.” These are the words of Paul. The words of John Chrysostom, whose feast we celebrated last week, tell us “I do not think it possible for a person to be saved who has never done anything for the salvation of others”

These words help us understand what the calling of Matthew, the tax collector, meant, and hopefully, what our calling as Christians also means.

Seeing good in the tax collector, Levi, Jesus called him to discipleship. Matthew was a tax collector, one hated by the Jews, seen as a sinner. Yet Jesus called him to be an apostle, one of his close band of followers. Matthew was called first to a closer relationship with Jesus, to be a friend of Jesus. He was called to be a disciple. And he was called to be an apostle and evangelist – to be with Jesus and to be sent by Jesus. These are the marks of a true disciple and apostle.

Friend, disciple, apostle, evangelist. That was the call Matthew received. Jesus recognized something in Matthew and called it forth to service. Jesus helped Matthew see his own gifts and affirmed them. The call received by Matthew and the other apostles is the same call we receive – to be friends, disciples, and apostles. We are called to develop a close relationship with the Lord. We are called to listen to the words of the Lord, to be docile before the message that Jesus brings to each of us. To take those words to heart and let them transform us. And we are commissioned to share that transformation with others. That one apostolic call comes to all of us. May the Lord Jesus bless us all as we continue the journey.

Reflection by Fr. Peter Ullrich, OSB