Today is the first Friday of the month, a day dedicated to the Sacred Heart and especially
to reparation by receiving Holy Communion. A genuine devotion to the Sacred Heart will
also include the imitation of His virtues. Today's Gospel particularly evidences the
virtue of mercy, Christ's mercy. In Latin, mercy is misericordia, a heart for those who
are in a miserable state and there is no state more miserable or wretched than sin. Christ
came to save sinners. He goes in search of His lost sheep to bring them back to the fold.
He saw Matthew sitting at the customs post and called him, follow me. Mark and Luke tell
the same story, but they call Matthew Levi. They don't want to embarrass the Apostle by
making it known that he was a sinful tax collector. But St. Matthew is willing to tell an embarrassing
story about himself and this makes the story a kind of signature to his Gospel. Perhaps
people will think less of him for having been a sinner, but they ought rather to think more
of Christ, whose mercy could make an Apostle out of a tax collector. Matthew had been sitting
there for a long time, for too long. This is the customs post of Capernaum and that
means two things. First, it was a crossroads with people and goods passing through. Matthew
was not short of work. Second, Capernaum is where Jesus has been working miracles and
preaching for some time, but Matthew is still sitting there. Perhaps he's too busy with
his work to worry about his salvation. Perhaps he doesn't even think salvation is possible
for him anymore. That's what the Pharisees think about him. Either way, he's still sitting
there after all these months. Apparently, he needs a personal invitation and so Jesus
gives him one. Follow me. And he does. Those two words and his response change his life.
Our translation says he got up and followed him. Other translations say he rose and followed
him. Getting up and rising can be the same thing, but the latter is a better translation
because one can also rise from the dead. In fact, the Greek verb here is the same one
used for rising from the dead. And while the more obvious meaning is that Matthew physically
rose from his seat at the customs post, he also rose from spiritual death, from sin to
grace. Similarly, when it says that he followed him, obviously he did so with his feet, but
he also followed him with his life. This is what it means to be an apostle, to have
the same mission as Jesus, to continue his work in the world and let him work for you.
He starts right away, even though he'll only become an apostle later. He has a group of
friends who are social outcasts, tax collectors and other sinners whom pious Jews avoid because
they don't want to be drawn into a life of sin. Since others won't associate with him,
they associate with one another, and the tax collectors at least have enough money
to make ostracism bearable. Whether they had already planned to come over to Matthew's
house to dine or whether he invited them so that they could meet Jesus, the fact is that
they come and take places at the table with Jesus and his disciples. One reason why Jesus
is there is to rejoice with Matthew over his conversion. He is a lost sheep who has been
found, a dead son who has come back to life. Jesus explains the other reason when his presence
there is questioned. Matthew's house is open enough for the Pharisees to go see what is
going on, and they question what Jesus is doing there in order to get his disciples
to stop following him. But Jesus hears and explains, those who are well do not need a
salvation, but the sick do. It is good to stay away from the sick in order to keep from
becoming sick, but the sick have need of someone to treat them, and that is what Jesus is there
for, to cure sin. He's not there to tell sinners that they're okay and give them self-esteem.
He's there to cure them of a life of sin by conversion and pardon. Matthew has begun to
change his life, and the others can too. Perhaps they already show their willingness to do
so by coming to eat with Jesus. Jesus tells the Pharisees, go and learn the meaning of
the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice, words of the prophet Hosea. They are intent
on religious observance, like sacrifice, but they forget the mercy that is not a rule,
but an attitude that God requires of us. He also tells them, I did not come to call the
righteous but sinners. He's not saying that they are righteous, but because they think
they are, he cannot help them. Only if they recognize that they do have something of which
to repent, only if they acknowledge this, will they be able to obtain forgiveness. In this,
the tax collectors and the prostitutes had an advantage. They could have no illusions
about being righteous. They knew well that they were sinners and needed mercy, but they
didn't know if it was possible. Jesus says, yes, it is possible. I will pay the price of your sins,
I will make it possible for you to change your life. Follow me. There is infinite mercy in the
heart of Jesus, mercy that can change anyone. And he demands that there be mercy also in our
hearts as well. Praised be Jesus and Mary. Amen.
If you'd like to grow in love and knowledge of the Immaculate Virgin Mary,
consider a subscription to the Missio Macalate magazine. The Missio is a bi-monthly magazine
published by the Franciscans of the Immaculate for over 15 years. Every issue of the Missio
features articles about Our Lady's privileges and her mission in the church and world for
the sanctification and conversion of souls. The Missio takes to heart the ancient saying
of the church, De Maria Numcam Satis, of Mary you can never say enough. You can subscribe
online at missiomagazine.com, that's m-i-s-s-i-o, magazine.com or go to the homepage
of airmaria.com. Back issues of the Missio are also available upon request. The Missio
is a practical way to behold your mother and take her into your home. Ave Maria.
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