Daily Catholic Lectio
Sat, 21 Sep 2024
XXIV Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday
Saint Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist, Feast
Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13. Matthew 9:9-13k
Follow me!
Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist. He is hailed as the patron of the bankers, cashiers, and auditors.
In Indian philosophy, there is an element called ‘mārga’, which simply means ‘path.’ There are three paths to attain mokshā (‘liberation’ or ‘blessedness’): ‘jnãna mārga’ (path of knowledge or wisdom), ‘karma mārga’ (path of action), and ‘bhakti mārga’ (path of devotion or piety). The Synoptic gospels are attributed with these mārgas. Matthew as jnãna mārga, Mark as karma mārga, and Luke as bhakti mārga. Jesus is portrayed in Matthew as a wisdom teacher.
“Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old (Mt 13:52),” thus presenting Matthew the words of Jesus.
This verse tells us two things: one, ‘Kingdom of heaven is something that needs to be learned and studied.’ It is connected to knowledge and wisdom. All can know and understand the kingdom of heaven; two, this text tells something beautiful about Matthew. Matthew, who was at the tax booth, as soon as he learned of the kingdom of heaven, leaves the booth. From his own experiences with Jesus, he brings forth both the Old Testament and the New Testament and makes a beautiful gospel.
In today’s first reading, Paul invites the people at Ephesus to live a life worthy of their calling. Matthew lives a life worthy of his calling at three levels:
First, he lets go of the old and holds on to the new. Paul writes, “When the perfect comes, the partial will pass away” (1 Cor 13:10). When the perfect Jesus came, he let go of his partial profession.
Second, he courageously tells Jesus, ‘Lord, this is what I am,’ when he invites Jesus to his house for dinner. The dinner is meant for the tax collectors and the sinners. Matthew welcomes Jesus to his home. Food symbolizes relationship. Matthew introduces his family, friends, and colleagues to Jesus without any shame or fear. He desires to dine with Jesus, for he understood that hunger is the basic instinct of everyone.
Third, Matthew presents us with the lovely message that ‘God is with us, Immanuel.’ In Matthew, Jesus does not ascend to God after resurrection. There is no ascension narrative. Jesus stays back in the world, saying, ‘Behold, I am with you till the ends of the earth’ (cf. Mt 28:20). Matthew wishes that we hold on to this God who is with us.
We have a lot of texts to admire in Matthew: genealogy of Jesus, presentation of Joseph as the head of the Holy Family, Joseph as a just (righteous) man, the Magi, the sermon on the mount, Peter walking on the sea, Judas’ guilt, Pilate’s wife’s dream, parables of the ten virgins, vineyard workers, and the last judgement.
Today let us resolve to read at least a few texts from Matthew.
When Matthew heard the words of Jesus, ‘Come, follow me!’, he left everything and followed Him. He did not calculate what he would get. He was fed up with calculations. He gives himself up totally.
‘Matthew’ means ‘gift of God.’ Matthew offers himself as a total gift to God.
One who was writing the journals of the income and expenses chooses to write the journals of Jesus, Son of Abraham, Son of David, and Son of God.
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Everyone who follows Christ is a ‘pilgrim of hope.’ (Jubilee 2025 AD, bite 205)
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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