[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Daily Readings for: September 21, 2012
(Readings on USCCB website)

Collect: O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

ACTIVITIES

• Apostle Cookies
• Family and Friends of Jesus Scrapbook Album
• Namedays
• Religion in the Home for Elementary School: September
• Religion in the Home for Preschool: September
• What is a Nameday?

PRAYERS

• September Devotion: Our Lady of Sorrows
• A Child's Gospel Night Prayer

LIBRARY

• Matthew | Pope Benedict XVI

Ordinary Time: September 21st

Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Old Calendar: St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

At the time that Jesus summoned him to follow Him, Matthew was a publican, that is, a tax-collector for the Romans. His profession was hateful to the Jews because it reminded them of their subjection; the publican, also, was regarded by the pharisees as the typical sinner. St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist. He was the first to put down in writing our Lord's teaching and the account of His life. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke.

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St. Matthew
No one was more shunned by the Jews than a publican, who was a Jew working for the Roman enemy by robbing his own people and making a large personal profit. Publicans were not allowed to trade, eat, or even pray with others Jews.

One day, while seated at his table of books and money, Jesus looked at Matthew and said two words: "Follow me." This was all that was needed to make Matthew rise, leaving his pieces of silver to follow Christ. His original name, "Levi," in Hebrew signifies "Adhesion" while his new name in Christ, Matthew, means "Gift of God." The only other outstanding mention of Matthew in the Gospels is the dinner party for Christ and His companions to which he invited his fellow tax-collectors. The Jews were surprised to see Jesus with a publican, but Jesus explained that he had come "not to call the just, but sinners."

St. Matthew is known to us principally as an Evangelist, with his Gospel being the first in the New Testament. His Gospel was written in Aramaic, the language that our Lord Himself spoke and was written to convince the Jews that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus.

Not much else is known about Matthew. According to tradition, he preached in Egypt and Ethiopia and further places East. Some legends say he lived until his nineties, dying a peaceful death, others say he died a martyr's death.

In the traditional symbolization of the evangelists, based on Ezech. 1:5-10 and Rev. 4:6-7, the image of the winged man is accorded to Matthew because his Gospel begins with the human genealogy of Christ.

Patron: Accountants; bankers; bookkeepers; customs officers; security guards; stock brokers; tax collectors; Salerno, Italy.

Symbols: Angel holding a pen or inkwell; bag of coins; loose coins; halberd; inkwell; king; lance; man holding money; man holding money box and/or glasses; money bag; money box; purse; spear; sword; winged man; young man; book; man sitting at a desk.

Things to Do:

• Do something for the needy: money for missions, donations of clothing or toys, canned goods drive, etc.

• Take time to read St. Matthew's Gospel, keeping in mind that St. Matthew depicts the humanity of Christ and emphasizes His physical sufferings. He makes frequent reference to the fulfillment of prophecies because he wrote to Jews and to Jewish Christians.

• Discuss St. Matthew's call from Christ "Follow me" with your children and how we are all called to belong to the family of God.

[Salvation]

The Word Among Us

Meditation: Matthew 9:9-13

Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

He got up and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)

Matthew was one of those Jews who worked for the Roman occupa­tion forces in Palestine. Often corrupt and unjust, tax collectors were known to cheat their own people, lining their pockets with the extra money they collected. Regarded as a traitor by his fellow Jews, Matthew was placed in the same category as prostitutes and other public sinners.

But all of this changed when Matthew answered Jesus’ call. Over time, he underwent a profound conversion and became a power­ful evangelist. He devoted himself to bringing the gospel message to the same Jews he had once alien­ated and scandalized. Even today, his preaching continues to touch hearts through the Gospel that bears his name.

It’s interesting that today’s Gospel reading pairs Matthew with the Pharisees who, though more faithful to Judaism, nonetheless struggled to accept Jesus’ teachings. Jesus knew how devoted they were, but he still urged them to go further by stretching their conception of mercy and compassion. In a sense, Jesus was issuing the same call to the Pharisees as he did to Matthew: “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9).

Clearly, holiness is not just a choice that we make one time, such as when we are confirmed or decide to attend Mass regularly. If Jesus was urging even the religious leaders to deepen their faith, why should we think he wouldn’t be calling us far­ther along?

There is no end to the call to holiness—at least not in this life. That’s not because we’re so hope­lessly sinful. No, the call never ends because our lives keep changing. A young man starting out in life will face far different challenges than a much older man facing retirement. A mother of young children will have a different path of holiness than a grandmother living by herself in a nursing home. Matthew’s decision to follow Jesus as a new disciple was far different from his decision to follow Jesus as a Spirit-filled apostle—or as a wise pastor for that matter.

How is Jesus calling you to follow him? What are the next steps he is asking you to take along the path to holiness?

“Lord, I want to follow you with the same passion as Matthew did. Let my life be a witness to you.”

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13; Psalm 19:2-5