Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist
In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls Matthew to follow him. Remarkably, it seems that Matthew gets up and follows Jesus without hesitation. The passage doesn’t imply that anything else happened to Matthew before the encounter or during the interaction with Jesus. This story can help us reflect on our call from God. When God calls do we follow? How have we followed God’s call for us?
Today’s first reading also is about our call from God. Paul writes that God uses our gifts for ministry:
“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.” Ephesians 4:7, 11-12
As we reflect on this passage, we can think about the gifts God has given us and ask God how we should use them in "building up the Body of Christ".
St. Matthew shows us that God calls everyone even those society does not deem worthy. Let us be inspired and encouraged by his story to follow God’s call.
—Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI