HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT MATTHEW, APOSTLE AND EVANGELIST
THEME: As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.
BY: Fr. Diotacious ChikontweSMA
HOMILY FOR WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 21 2022
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
Psalm 18:2-5
Matthew 9:9-13
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
RED
*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters today we celebrate the feast of st Matthew one among the twelve disciples of Jesus and the author of the Gospel according to Mathew. Jesus called Matthew amid his daily work—just as he called Simon and Andrew while they were fishing (Matthew 4:18) and James and John while they were mending their nets (Matthew 4:21)
*FROM OUR FIRST READING*
According to Saint Paul in today’s first reading, ‘each of us… has been given their own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it’. We have each been gifted in some way by the Lord for his service and the service of his people. Each one of us has been gifted by the Lord, not just some of us. We all have a role to play in the Lord’s work of making present the kingdom of heaven in the here and now.
*FROM THE GOSPEL READING*
Jesus saw that Matthew had been gifted by God in a way that could serve all of God’s people. Because Matthew was a tax collector, collecting taxes from his own people on behalf of the Romans, many would have dismissed him as a traitor, and those who thought of themselves as religious would have considered him a sinner, someone who did not do God’s will. Yet, Jesus saw something much more in Matthew, and he called him to become one of his closest followers, one of the Twelve. He saw in Matthew what others failed to see, refused to see.
*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE FEAST OF TODAY ?*
Todays feast reminds us that, indeed Jesus looked upon people with generous and merciful eyes.Our master and our Lord Jesus looks on all of us in the same way. He doesn’t just see our failings; he sees all we can become with his help. Sometimes it can be a struggle to see ourselves with the same generous and merciful eyes as the Lord sees us.
*CONCLUSION*
Dear brethrens, even today, Jesus calls us to follow him amid our duties in our state in life. He asks us to leave behind anything that keeps us from living a life centered on him. For some people, this may mean changing careers. For others, it may mean prioritizing one’s time so that the family receives more attention. Others may find that Jesus’ call to follow him means changing what they watch on TV, what movies they go to, or what they read. It may also be a call to follow Jesus into a life of simplicity, changing what one buys or what portion of income is given to support God’s work. May we generously respond to whatever Our Lord asks us to leave behind as we follow him more closely.
Happy Feast of St Matthew, May he always pray for us.
