The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of our understanding of the nature of God and the Divine desire for mercy in our relationships with others.
Mercy in relationship
The reading from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians describes the nature of unity in the Body of Christ.
* [4:12] The ministerial leaders in Eph 4:11 are to equip the whole people of God for their work of ministry.1
Psalm 19 proclaims God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.
* [19:4] No speech, no words: the regular functioning of the heavens and the alternation of day and night inform human beings without words of the creator’s power and wisdom.2
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus follows the calling of Matthew with mercy to the outcast.
* [9:13] Go and learn…not sacrifice: Matthew adds the prophetic statement of Hos 6:6 to the Marcan account (see also Mt 12:7). If mercy is superior to the temple sacrifices, how much more to the laws of ritual impurity.3
Gladyce Janky comments that the central message of Matthew’s gospel is the coming of God’s Kingdom and the need to shift to a new heart and a new way of leading a devout life. How can this be done when throughout human history, there is so much divisiveness? Do the words of encouragement from St. Paul to his fledgling Christian communities offer insights that might apply to our time?
In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul encourages us to live beyond what separates us, With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (Eph. 4:2-3). In Paul’s letter, the phrase bond of peace seems especially important. A bond joins securely, forms a close attachment that is not easily separated or broken. In the context of Ephesians, it seems to be the bonding agent that pulls together Paul’s other characteristics of the Christian life. It is strong enough to hold in solidarity the diversity and complexity of human relations that comprise Church – humanity. What better glue than a warm, soft blanket of God’s peace gently and securely enfolding and bonding us together as we seek to grant mercy to others.4
Don Schwager quotes “Matthew did not delay when called by Jesus,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).
"The Lord, about to give salvation to all sinners believing in him, willingly chose Matthew the former publican. The gift of his esteem for Matthew stands as an example for our salvation. Every sinner must be chosen by God and can receive the grace of eternal salvation if one is not without a religious mind and a devout heart. So Matthew was chosen willingly by God. And though he is immersed in worldly affairs, because of his sincere religious devotion he is judged worthy to be called forth by the Lord ("Follow me"), who by virtue of his divine nature knows the hidden recesses of the heart. From what follows, we know that Matthew was accepted by the Lord not by reason of his status but of his faith and devotion. As soon as the Lord says to him, "Follow me," he does not linger or delay, but thereupon "he arose and followed him." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 45.1)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Ephesians notes that according to Paul, their one hope lay in the fact that God had revealed himself to be the “Father of all,” opening up the gift of faith, belonging, and salvation to every kind of person (Ephesians 4:6).
People who were considered sinners or who suffered from physical illnesses were said to be under God’s judgment. There were sharp divisions between those who were thought to be “worthy,” “clean,” and “chosen” and those who were outside the scope of God’s mercy. When he chose Matthew, Jesus erased all such lines. It’s hard to imagine what a relief that must have been—not just for Matthew, but for everyone else who had previously fallen outside the lines. No wonder Matthew became such an effective evangelist! Having received mercy, he could share that message of mercy with the rest of the world firsthand. Mercy for all! One Lord and one faith! An invitation for the unrighteous as much as the righteous! That is our Catholic faith. That is our hope.6
Friar Jude Winkler underlies Paul’s message that oneness is an attribute of Jesus followers. The Pharisees were concerned about possible contagion from contact with sinners. Friar Jude suggests praise of others builds solidarity in Christian community.
A post from Franciscan Media reflects on Saint Matthew, Patron Saint of accountants, actors, bankers, bookkeepers, tax collectors, and taxi drivers.
From such an unlikely situation, Jesus chose one of the foundations of the Church, a man others, judging from his job, thought was not holy enough for the position. But Matthew was honest enough to admit that he was one of the sinners Jesus came to call. He was open enough to recognize truth when he saw him. “And he got up and followed him” (Matthew 9:9b).7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that in Judaism, God’s statement to Moses (Exodus 3:14) became God’s unspeakable and unnamable identity. Some would say that the name of God literally cannot be “spoken,” only breathed.
Now that was very wise, and sometimes I wish we had kept it up. This tradition alone should tell us to practice profound humility in regard to God, who gives us not a name, but only pure presence—no handle that could allow us to think we “know” who God is or have the divine as our private possession… Jesus clearly says naming God correctly is not the priority, “Do not believe those who say ‘Lord, Lord’” (Matthew 7:21; Luke 6:46. Italics added). It is those who “do it right” that matter, he says, not those who “say it right.” Yet verbal orthodoxy has been Christianity’s preoccupation, at times even allowing us to burn people at the stake for not “saying it right.” We ended up spreading national cultures under the rubric of Jesus, instead of a universally liberating message under the name of Christ. What I call an incarnational worldview is the profound recognition of the presence of the divine in literally “every thing” and “every one.”8
We receive from the Unspeakable and Unnamable Identity, the direction to be merciful to others.
References
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