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Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Reading 1 : Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace:
one Body and one Spirit,
as you were also called to the one hope of your call;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each of us
according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

R. (5) 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.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.
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.
R. Their message goes out through all the earth.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We praise you, O God,
we acclaim you as Lord;
the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, “Follow me.”
And he got up and followed him.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 Message from the Readings

Today’s feast proclaims a beautiful truth:
God calls us not because we are worthy — but because He is merciful.
• Matthew was a tax collector, considered a sinner and outsider.
• Jesus saw him, called him, and transformed him into an apostle and evangelist.
• Paul reminds us that each person receives gifts to build the Church.
• The psalm declares that God’s glory is visible everywhere, inviting us to respond.
The message is clear: God’s call is stronger than our past, and His mercy is greater than our mistakes.

Reflection for the Day

Matthew’s story is one of the most encouraging moments in the Gospel.
He is sitting at his tax booth — a place of compromise, greed, and social rejection. People saw a sinner. Jesus saw a disciple.
Jesus speaks only two words:
“Follow me.”
Matthew does not negotiate. He does not delay. He does not ask for time to fix his life first.
He rises immediately.
This is the power of grace — it lifts us from where we are and leads us to where God wants us to be.
Later, when Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners, the Pharisees complain. Jesus responds with one of the most comforting lines in Scripture:
“I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”
He came for the broken, the wounded, the imperfect, the searching. He came for Matthew. He comes for us.
Paul’s words in Ephesians deepen this truth:
• We are called to unity.
• We are gifted differently.
• We grow together into maturity.
Matthew’s transformation shows how God uses unlikely people to build His Church.
Psalm 19 reminds us that God’s glory is always speaking — through creation, through Scripture, through His call.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Rise when Jesus calls.
   Don’t wait to be perfect — respond now.
2. Embrace mercy.
   God’s heart is not about punishment but healing.
3. Use your gifts for the Church.
   Like Matthew, your life has a mission.
   Let today be a day of courage, surrender, and renewed trust in God’s call.

 Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me not because I am perfect, but because You are merciful.
Give me the courage of Matthew to rise when You call, to leave behind what holds me back, and to follow You with my whole heart.
Help me use my gifts to build Your Church and to share Your love with others.
Amen.