21 September 2021
Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist
One of the sought ‘benefits’ of being about to tell a story involving yourself is the ability to tell it in such as way as to make oneself look good, possessing just the right refutation in a debate or performing some noble deed, et cetera. What is quite striking is that St. Matthew, great saint and apostle though he was, did not seek to highlight these in telling his part in Jesus’ story. Rather, he makes his own explicit appearance brief (only one verse), and points out that he is implicated through his profession of tax collector as being part of the group of sinners of whom the Pharisees wanted to make Jesus ashamed. In telling stories in which we play a part, it takes courage to be honest in mentioning our past sins of action, word, or thought. Yet, it is precisely honesty about his own sin that could help Matthew savor so deeply the words of Our Savior: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. … I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mt 9:12-13) By admitting his sickness, Matthew could appreciate so much more the presence of the Divine Physician who attended to him in his illness, and who offered him true healing. It was precisely by confessing that he was a sinner, that this saint showed he was one whom Jesus came to call to holiness. May St. Matthew intercede for us, to speak of our needs, our wounds, our failures, our sins, and so appreciate and proclaim the great mercy that is extended to us in Christ Jesus Our Lord.