First reading Ephesians 4:1-7,11-13
We are all to come to unity, fully mature in the knowledge of the Son of God
I, the prisoner in the Lord, implore you to lead a life worthy of your vocation. Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience. Do all you can to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as you were all called into one and the same hope when you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of all, over all, through all and within all.
Each one of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. To some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.
Responsorial Psalm 18(19):2-5
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens proclaim the glory of God,
and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story
and night unto night makes known the message.
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
No speech, no word, no voice is heard
yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world.
Their word goes forth through all the earth.
Gospel Matthew 9:9-13
It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick
As Jesus was walking on, he saw a man named Matthew sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.
While he was at dinner in the house it happened that a number of tax collectors and sinners came to sit at the table with Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ When he heard this he replied, ‘It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. Go and learn the meaning of the words: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. And indeed I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.’
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Matthew, a tax collector, called by Jesus
Jesus loves with an inclusive love. He has come for all people, especially for the marginalised in society. Jesus’ way of love reveals God’s heart that is full of mercy and compassion for His people. In today’s gospel, Jesus saw a tax collector, Matthew, sitting at the tax office, and called him, “Follow me”. Jesus then went on to have a meal with other tax collectors and public sinners. The Pharisees could not accept Jesus’ unconventional action of being friends with “not respectable” people. For Jesus, He came to bring God’s unconditional mercy, not condemnation and judgement.
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, let us rejoice in the merciful love of Jesus. Our flaws do not stop Jesus from believing and trusting in us. He always sees our future and potential to give ourselves for the mission and to be His faithful disciples to the end. May we, as Jesus’ disciples, become channels of God’s mercy to others.
Question for reflection:
Do I know and live out the meaning of these words: “Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”?
Do I know and live out the meaning of these words: “Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice”?
