The Gospel of Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard this, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” And Jesus got up and followed him, with his disciples. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well.” Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. And the report of this spread throughout that district.
Let us Pray: Creator God, you call us to love and serve you with body, mind, and spirit through loving your creation and our sisters and brothers. Open our hearts in compassion and receive this our prayer on behalf of the needs of the world. This we pray in Jesus Name Amen.
The call to follow for Matthew was spontaneous, but Matthew left his booth and all his wealth to follow Jesus. Matthew was astonished that Jesus would even engage him in conversation was a marvel. He was despised. He was hated. He was ostracized from respectable society. And Jesus cared enough about him to stop by when not required by law to do so. Jesus accepted him. Jesus loved him, the most unloved man in Capernaum. And Jesus called him personally: “Follow me.” Since he was a boy, he hadn’t imagined himself a righteous man. Now he is being called to accompany a holy man on his itinerant travels. How bizarre! How wonderful! Would you give up all you had and follow Jesus as Matthew did? Jesus calls each of us today to follow him. Why does Jesus call us to follow Him? He wants to build a deeper friendship with us. And this would only happen if we chose to respond to His call. When we respond to the call of Jesus, we ensure ourselves of a meaningful life. This doesn’t mean that the moment we say yes to Jesus we would be free from worries and trials. We would still have our own share of trials and worries. Yet in the midst of our worries and trials we will feel the abiding presence of Jesus in our lives. If we decide to follow Jesus, there will be people who will despise and perhaps belittle us. But we have nothing to worry with those who will despise us. What is most important is we chose to leave behind our sinfulness in favor of Jesus’ call. Jesus doesn’t really care what others think about a person, or how others value a person. He loves the outcasts and the unloved. Jesus didn’t concentrate on refining the beliefs of the already righteous, but on rescuing the perishing. Thus, anyone that seeks to minister as the presence of Christ in the world will have to minister with the same values Jesus had. Clearly, one of those values is a passion for reaching the poor, the sick, the oppressed, and the brokenhearted, rather than catering to those who have already received it. Imagine if all of Jesus’ disciples today could capture that passion!
Let us Pray: Redeeming Sustainer, visit your people and pour out your strength and courage upon us, that we may hurry to make you welcome not only in our concern for others, but by serving them generously and faithfully in your name. Amen.
Reflections by Bob 