he rose

Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Psalm 19 their message goes out through all the earth; Mt 9:9-13

Today we celebrate the feast of the apostle Matthew. 

In the gospel we see Jesus encounter Matthew at work, "sitting at the custom post." 

In the gospel, many of the apostles are called while at work.  Jesus takes any and every opportunity to get our attention.  He calls us out at work to spend our lives working differently.

Matthew is sitting at the custom post, which reminds us that he was a tax collector.  A tax collector was considered the worst of public sinners.  They were despised as despicable characters who worked for a greedy authority, the Romans, who handled money from unclean people, the foreigners, who fixed their own tax rate and thus were looked upon as extortioners. 

The calling of this tax collector reminds us that those who seem the farthest from holiness can become the models of holiness.  Those who are the farthest reveal to us most perfectly the effects of God's mercy in and through their lives. 

Jesus did not exclude anyone.  He came for the sinners.  His friendship is available to all. 

Lastly, upon the call we see that Matthew, simply put, "rose and followed."

The brevity of the statement shows forth Matthew's readiness to respond almost instantly to the call.  He rose, stood up,  he took a stand.  He left his notorious ways behind and began something new in Christ. 

Matthew detached himself from a sinful lifestyle and made a conscious decision to attach himself to a new way, a new life in communion with Jesus. 

While at work, may we readily respond to the call of Jesus and take a stand for a new life in Christ. 

finally, Matthew threw a party.  He celebrated the feast of friendship he found in Christ and he wanted all to experience this feast with him.  Conversion is a feast of friendship that reaches out to others and desires to celebrate such a gift with all.  On this feast on Matthew may we celebrate boldly the feast of friendship we have received in the call of Christ.

hymn:

the tax collector left the gold of Rome for gold of Christ

who offered words  both new and old that haunted and enticed

a man of worldly means to give all that he had to write

those words for all who yet would live to ponder day and night

The tax collector left to us the story eh had learned

that we might rise from ash and dust to treasure what he earned

a life beyond what gold can buy a pearl that has no price

a wealth that folly passes by the love of Jesus Christ