Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21st, 2025
In the Ninth Chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel the Pharisees ask the disciples why Our Lord takes the opportunity to eat with tax collectors and sinners. Our Lord heard this comment being made and He responded: "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. . . . . for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (vv 12-13) On this Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, it is good to recall that Our Lord calls all to serve Him, especially sinners. Remember that St. Matthew was a tax collector. And to put things into perspective, remember that tax collectors were hated. They were hated because they took the people's money. Tax collectors were known to cheat the people in order to line their own pockets. And they were also hated because they took the money and gave it to the Romans, an occupying force. But nonetheless Our Lord called St. Matthew to follow Him. Our Lord does not discriminate. Our Lord calls all who are willing to follow Him. Very often we fool ourselves into thinking that we are "not worthy" to serve God. We convince ourselves that we are "too sinful to do God's work." The bottom line is that all of us are sinners in need of God's mercy. God calls each and every one of us to repentance. God calls each and every one of us to serve Him. God calls each and every one of us to give our hearts to Him. St. Matthew represented the most hated man because he was a tax collector. Yet Our Lord did not hesitate in calling St. Matthew. And to St. Matthew's credit, he accepted the called and followed Our Lord. St. Matthew did not hesitate to accept Our Lord's invitation. Neither should we hesitate to accept Our Lord's invitation.
Join us at 10:30 AM on Sundays at St. Margaret church. We worship at the beautiful chapel at Marquette Manor, located at 8140 N. Township Line Road on the Northwest side of Indianapolis.
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