September 21
Saints of the Day
 

Saint Matthew the Apostle, Levi
A Jew Tax collector for the Romans, writer of the first Gospel, Apostle of Ethiopia

    Son of Alphaeus, he lived at Capenaum on Lake Genesareth.

    Matthew got Jesus in further trouble by having a sort of going-away party at his house. The Gospel tells us that "many" tax collectors and "those known as sinners" came to the dinner. The Pharisees were still more badly shocked. What business did the supposedly great teacher have associating with such immoral people? Jesus' answer was, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" (Matthew 9:12-13). Jesus is not setting aside ritual and worship; he is saying that loving others is even more important.

    Matthew's Gospel is given pride of place in the canon of the New Testament, and was written to convince Jewish readers that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus. He preached among the Jews for 15 years; his audiences may have included the Jewish enclave in Ethiopia, and places in the East.

    Summarizing the Four Gospels:
        1- Matthew: To the Jews, Jesus is the Messiah, the King so much waited by centuries... the Gospel of the Kingdom, of the Church.
        2- Mark: To the Romans, Jesus is the maker of wonders, the Redeemer Servant, the Gospel of Action.
        3- Luke: A Greek, he wrote to the Greeks, Jesus is the Son of Man, of Virgin Mary, the universal Savior, the Gospel of Joy.
        4- John: To all, Jesus is the Son of God, anyone who believes in Him will be saved, the Gospel of Salvation..

    Representation of the Four Gospel Writers:
        1- The winged man is mainly a symbol of Matthew because he began his gospel with a genealogy of Jesus as a man.
        2- The winged lion is mainly a symbol of Mark because of his clear proclamation of Jesus' Resurrection, and his continuous fights in the Gospels with the scribes and Pharisee.
        3- The winged ox is mainly a symbol of Luke because of his emphasis on Jesus' sacrificial atonement, opening his Gospel with the sacrifice in the Temple of Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist.
        - The eagle is mainly a symbol of John because of his "soaring" witness to Jesus' divine nature. See  Ezekiel 1

Images Gallery of images of Saint Matthew

Writings Gospel According to Matthew New American Bible

Additional Information

http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintOfDay/default.asp?id=1145

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintm13.htm

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Goffine's Devout Instructions
 

Readings

"Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: Follow me." Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense, but more significantly with his merciful understanding of men."

He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: "Follow me." This following meant imitating the pattern of his life - not just walking after him. Saint John tells us: "Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked."

"And he rose and followed him." There is no reason for surprise that the tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as the Lord commanded him. Nor should one be amazed that neglecting his wealth, he joined a band of men whose leader had, on Matthew's assessment, no riches at all. Our Lord summoned Matthew by speaking to him in words. By an invisible, interior impulse flooding his mind with the light of grace, he instructed him to walk in his footsteps. In this way Matthew could understand that Christ, who was summoning him away from earthly possessions, had incorruptible treasures of heaven in his gift.

from a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable