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
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
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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The gaze of love
Matthew was regarded as a sinner and a traitor in the eyes of the Jews because he collected taxes from them and gave the money to the Romans. One day, Jesus drew close to Matthew and looked at him with love and mercy. The gaze of Jesus moved Matthew to experience himself being loved and forgiven by God, thus setting him free and healing him. At that moment, Matthew did not stay the same because something had changed inside him. Hearing the voice of Jesus calling him, Matthew left his possessions and followed Him.
We are called to recognise that Matthew’s story is also ours. Often, we put negative labels on ourselves and burden ourselves with judgements and criticisms that others heaped upon us. Jesus never tires of coming to us and looking at us with His gaze of love. He sees beyond our limitations, failures and appearances. Let us be looked at by Jesus again. Let us open our hearts to listen to His call, “Follow Me”. May His merciful love transform us from within.
Reflective question:
What strikes me most from this time of prayer?
What strikes me most from this time of prayer?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
