The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to be united as brothers and sisters of Christ who surrender to the Will of God in our mission.
The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians proclaims 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 | USCCB, 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.
* [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. (Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB, 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 | USCCB, n.d.)
George Butterfield asks what is the role of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers?
I served in a parish that had three priests, three deacons, and a dozen or so staff members. Let’s round up the number to 20. Twenty people can do a lot of ministry. However, we served in a parish of 4,500 families, well over 10,000 people. What impact would it have if the 20 got even 10% of the parish involved in serving Christ in the community? That is our primary role, along with “building up the Body of Christ.” (Butterfield, n.d.)
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)
[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."] (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13 comments that just as everything changed for Matthew when Jesus called him away from his tax-collecting post, so everything changed for us when we were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit.
As you honor St. Matthew today, remember that between the dramatic miracles and missionary journeys, there were also periods of quiet prayer and humble acts of service—and times of discouragement and struggle. He might have even had to work a side job in order to support himself and his mission. During those times, his life was probably a good deal like yours. And if his life was like yours, there’s no reason why your life can’t become more and more like his!
“Jesus, show me how I can use my gifts and talents to build up your kingdom.” (Meditation on Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the exhortation in Ephesians to live as a proclamation of the Gospel accepting our call to special ministries that use our best gifts for others to serve the Kingdom. The calling of Matthew, a tax collector in a position where people were often extorted, may seem very unusual. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus comes as a physician to heal the wounded and broken.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Franciscan peacemakers Rosemary Lynch and Alain Richard who have identified ten “commandments” for those seeking to live a spiritual life of nonviolence. They call it “The Decalogue for a Spirituality of Nonviolence”:
Active nonviolence calls us:
To learn to recognize and respect “the sacred” in every person, including in ourselves, and in every piece of Creation….
To accept oneself deeply, “who I am” with all my gifts and richness, with all my limitations, errors, failings and weaknesses, and to realize that I am accepted by God….
To recognize that what I resent, and perhaps even detest, in another, comes from my difficulty in admitting that this same reality lives also in me….
To renounce dualism, the “we-they” mentality (Manicheism). This divides us into “good people/bad people” and allows us to demonize the adversary. It is the root of authoritarian and exclusivist behavior. It generates racism and makes possible conflicts and wars.
To face fear and to deal with it not mainly with courage but with love.
To understand and accept that the New Creation, the building up of the Beloved Community is always carried forward with others. It is never a “solo act.”…
To see ourselves as a part of the whole creation to which we foster a relationship of love, not of mastery, remembering that the destruction of our planet is a profoundly spiritual problem, not simply a scientific or technological one. We are one.
To be ready to suffer, perhaps even with joy, if we believe this will help liberate the Divine in others. This includes the acceptance of our place and moment in history with its trauma, with its ambiguities.
To be capable of celebration, of joy, when the presence of God has been accepted, and when it has not been to help discover and recognize this fact.
To slow down, to be patient, planting the seeds of love and forgiveness in our own hearts and in the hearts of those around us. Slowly we will grow in love, compassion and the capacity to forgive. (Rohr, n.d.)
We are called from many different backgrounds to serve the people in our environment as disciples of Christ and we rely on the Spirit to build the unity of brothers and sisters who live with compassion and mercy.
References
Butterfield, G. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. OnlineMinistries. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/092124.html
Ephesians, CHAPTER 4 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/4?1
Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?9
Meditation on Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://wau.org/meditations/2024/09/21/1077382/
Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19?2
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Being Peace, Making Peace: Weekly Summary. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/being-peace-making-peace-weekly-summary/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Desire Mercy - Not Sacrifice. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved September 21, 2024, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2024&date=sep21a
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