The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to consider the call of the Holy Spirit that challenges us to grow in faith that the hope for unity and mercy as hallmarks of the Body of Christ will be celebrated in our lives.
The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians is a call for unity in the Body of Christ.
* [4:1–16] A general plea for unity in the church. Christians have been fashioned through the Spirit into a single harmonious religious community (one body, Eph 4:4, 12; cf. Eph 4:16), belonging to a single Lord (in contrast to the many gods of the pagan world), and by one way of salvation through faith, brought out especially by the significance of baptism (Eph 4:1–6; cf. Rom 6:1–11). But Christian unity is more than adherence to a common belief. It is manifested in the exalted Christ’s gifts to individuals to serve so as to make the community more Christlike (Eph 4:11–16). This teaching on Christ as the source of the gifts is introduced in Eph 4:8 by a citation of Ps 68:18, which depicts Yahweh triumphantly leading Israel to salvation in Jerusalem. It is here understood of Christ, ascending above all the heavens, the head of the church; through his redemptive death, resurrection, and ascension he has become the source of the church’s spiritual gifts. The “descent” of Christ (Eph 4:9–10) refers more probably to the incarnation (cf. Phil 2:6–8) than to Christ’s presence after his death in the world of the dead (cf. 1 Pt 3:19).
* [4:4–6] The “seven unities” (church, Spirit, hope; Lord, faith in Christ [Eph 1:13], baptism; one God) reflect the triune structure of later creeds in reverse. (Ephesians, CHAPTER 4, n.d.)
Psalm 19 praises God’s Glory in Creation and the Law.
* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:2–7). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:8–11), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:12–14). The themes of light and speech unify the poem. (Psalms, PSALM 19, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew describes the calling of Matthew.
* [9:9] A man named Matthew: Mark names this tax collector Levi (Mk 2:14). No such name appears in the four lists of the twelve who were the closest companions of Jesus (Mt 10:2–4; Mk 3:16–19; Lk 6:14–16; Acts 1:13 [eleven, because of the defection of Judas Iscariot]), whereas all four list a Matthew, designated in Mt 10:3 as “the tax collector.” The evangelist may have changed the “Levi” of his source to Matthew so that this man, whose call is given special notice, like that of the first four disciples (Mt 4:18–22), might be included among the twelve. Another reason for the change may be that the disciple Matthew was the source of traditions peculiar to the church for which the evangelist was writing.
* [9:10] His house: it is not clear whether his refers to Jesus or Matthew. Tax collectors: see note on Mt 5:46. Table association with such persons would cause ritual impurity. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)
Jay Carney comments on the profound influence of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount on radical modern thinkers as diverse as Bonhoeffer, Gandhi, and Dorothy Day. As Gandhi himself once wrote, “I saw that the Sermon on the Mount was the whole of Christianity for him who wanted to live a Christian life.”
Matthew’s gospel reminds us that the call to Christian holiness also brings us into closer touch with our own sin and our fellow sinners. In this sense, holiness is not about achieving perfection, but rather receiving the encounter of Christ, and sharing Christ’s mercy with others. Matthew, the despised tax collector and Roman collaborator, responds to Christ’s beckoning. Nor is he the exception to the rule. Rather, his subsequent house party is full of tax collectors, prostitutes, and other public sinners feasting with Jesus and his motley friends. The Pharisees, those denizens of first-century holiness, are of course scandalized. Where is the justice? Where is the judgment? Where are the lines of separation? Does Jesus not know that holiness means “set apart”?
Ultimately, Jesus is set apart by the boundless mercy he offers, beckoning us to turn, receive, share, and follow. On this Feast of St. Matthew, may we let Christ encounter us and call us deeper into encounter with others. (Carney, 2022)
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) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 9:9-13 comments that we can see from the Gospel that bears his name, Matthew gradually shed the trappings of his old life and began to “live in a manner worthy of the call” he had received (Ephesians 4:1). This process of conversion took time: time spent with Jesus and time to mature. And that’s just as true for us as it was for Matthew.
Jesus called us by name at our baptism, and he continues to call us to follow him each day. As he did with Matthew, he asks us to drop what we’re doing and take that first step. He invites us to listen to what he’s saying and discover what it means for our lives. Then, as we spend time with him, our attachments to sin and our desires for worldly comforts begin to decrease. Our love for Jesus and God’s people begins to grow. And so does our desire to invite him into our “homes,” our daily lives.
Jesus longs to set you free so that you can love and serve him as Matthew did. He will gladly come into your life more deeply if you invite him. Who knows how God might use you as a witness to his love? But your journey along the path of conversion begins with a simple step taken each day. So imitate Matthew’s wholehearted yes, and let Jesus lead you so that you can live a life worthy of his call.
“Jesus, I want to follow you today and every day.” (Meditation on Matthew 9:9-13, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments that the letter likely written in the name of Paul to the Ephesians exhorts his audience to live in oneness of faith, hope, and baptism. Jesus sought to bring mercy to the hated collaborators with Rome in conflict with the concern of the Pharisees about the contagion of sin. Friar Jude reminds us of the desire of Jesus to address the alienation of sin by showing how to live up to our dignity.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Kathleen Dowling Singh (1946–2017), known for her deep wisdom around death and dying, also wrote about the awakening that can occur when we consciously address aging. When we choose to ripen, to awaken as we age, we offer a gift to the world and future generations.
If we are to claim the last years of life as years that hold the possibility of awakening into equanimity and lightness, into the very embodiment of grace, we need to bear witness to the ripening of that possibility. Not only would it be a blessing for each of us, it would be a blessing for a world starving for such witnessing. . . .
Mindful of impermanence, the breath-by-breath arising and abiding and falling of each moment, we can remain in remembrance of our longing to exist in wisdom and love and compassion. We can remain in our intention to ripen into the spiritual maturity that is our birthright to cultivate. There is no more noble way to spend these years than to become an elder, to bear witness to the world as placeholders for peace, love, wisdom, and fearlessness. (Rohr, 2022)
We are gifted by the Spirit to be people who welcome others and humbly relate to them with kindness, compassion, generosity and mercy.
References
Carney, J. (2022, September 20). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/092122.html
Ephesians, CHAPTER 4. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/4?1
Matthew, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?9
Meditation on Matthew 9:9-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/09/21/493081/
Psalms, PSALM 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?2
Rohr, R. (2022, September 21). A Noble Task — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-noble-task-2022-09-21/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Desire Mercy - Not Sacrifice. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=sep21a
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