ST. MATTHEW, THE APOSTLE
Apostle and Evangelist – September 21
From the Tax Booth to the Table of Mercy
Introduction
It can be difficult to imagine a different future when people have already made up their minds about us. A past mistake, a troubled relationship, or a reputation acquired over many years may seem to define what others expect from us. Over time, we can begin to expect very little from ourselves.
Jesus saw Matthew sitting at a tax booth and said, “Follow me” (Mt 9:9). Matthew rose and followed him. The Gospel records no speech from Matthew at that moment. His first response was to get up.
The feast of St. Matthew invites us to consider where Christ is calling us to take that first step and how we might make room for someone else to begin again.
Who Was St. Matthew?
Matthew was a tax collector whom Jesus called to become one of the Twelve. The list of apostles in Matthew’s Gospel identifies him as “Matthew the tax collector” (Mt 10:3). His former occupation remains part of the story of how he came to follow Jesus.
Mark and Luke tell a closely parallel story in which the tax collector is named Levi (Mk 2:13–17; Lk 5:27–32). Christian tradition has commonly understood Levi and Matthew to be the same person. Luke also describes Levi giving a large banquet for Jesus in his home.
The Church honors Matthew as both apostle and evangelist. His call is remembered in the Gospel that bears his name.
The Man at the Tax Booth
Tax collectors appear in the Gospels alongside people commonly regarded as sinners. The work could provide opportunities for abuse. When tax collectors came to John the Baptist, he told them to collect only what was prescribed (Lk 3:12–13).
The Gospel gives us no account of how Matthew conducted his business. It simply shows him at his post when Jesus comes by. The call reaches him in the middle of an ordinary working day.
We may expect God’s call to come during prayer or at a moment of crisis. It can also reach us through a decision at work, a conversation at home, or a responsibility we have been avoiding. A familiar place can become the place where our direction changes.
“Follow Me”
Jesus’ invitation is brief and personal. Matthew responds by rising from his seat. Luke emphasizes the cost of the decision by saying that Levi left everything behind (Lk 5:28).
Following Christ can require a similarly concrete response. A person who has benefited from an unfair arrangement may need to correct it. Someone who has damaged a relationship may need to make the first honest admission. A person who has postponed returning to prayer may need to set aside time today.
Matthew’s first step was simple enough to describe in a sentence. It changed what he did with the rest of his life.
Jesus at the Table
After calling Matthew, Jesus shares a meal with tax collectors and sinners. Some Pharisees ask his disciples why their teacher eats with such people (Mt 9:10–11).
The question draws attention to something easily overlooked. Jesus gives these people his time and sits close enough to share a meal with them. His presence makes it possible for people accustomed to being judged to hear him speak directly.
We can imitate that generosity in ordinary ways. At a family gathering, we can draw a person into conversation who is usually left on the edge. In parish life, we can welcome someone who returns after a long absence with the same warmth we offer a familiar friend.
“I Desire Mercy”
Jesus answers the Pharisees with the image of a physician who attends to the sick. He then draws on the prophet Hosea, saying, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt 9:12–13; Hos 6:6).
The words invite us to examine how our worship shapes our treatment of others. Prayer can help us become patient enough to listen to someone we have judged. Fasting can help us recognize what a family in need goes without. Asking God for forgiveness can give us the courage to repair harm we have caused.
At Matthew’s table, Jesus shows what mercy looks like in practice. He comes close to the people he calls and gives them room to respond.
Matthew the Evangelist
The Gospel according to Matthew frequently draws on Israel’s Scriptures to show how God’s promises find fulfillment in Jesus. Near its beginning, Jesus is identified as Emmanuel, “God is with us” (Mt 1:23). At its conclusion, the risen Lord promises to remain with his disciples as they go out to make disciples of all nations (Mt 28:19–20).
That promise helps us understand the call at the tax booth. The Lord who drew near to Matthew continues to accompany those he sends. A Christian who undertakes an unfamiliar responsibility can draw courage from that companionship.
Learning from the Sermon on the Mount
Matthew gives us the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus teaches the Beatitudes, gives his disciples the Lord’s Prayer, and calls them to love their enemies (Mt 5–7).
These teachings take shape in ordinary decisions. A peacemaker may be the person who stops a family disagreement from spreading by refusing to pass along an angry message. A merciful person may correct a mistake privately so that a colleague can learn without public embarrassment.
Jesus closes the sermon with the image of a person who builds on rock by hearing his words and acting on them (Mt 7:24–27). The life of discipleship grows through such choices, often made where few people see them.
A Life Connection
Consider a business owner who discovers that a customer paid the same invoice twice. The extra payment would help cover a difficult month, and the customer may never notice. The owner calls the customer, explains what happened, and returns the money.
The decision costs something. It is also a way of following Christ in the place where the owner spends much of the day. Matthew’s call reminds us that our handling of money, records, and responsibilities can become an expression of discipleship.
Eucharistic Connection
At the Last Supper, Jesus speaks of his blood of the covenant poured out for the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:27–28). In the Holy Qurbana, we give thanks for this saving gift and bring before the Lord the places in our lives that need his healing.
The mercy we celebrate at the altar can shape what we do when we return home. We may need to begin a conversation we have avoided, make restitution for a wrong, or give someone time to rebuild trust. These actions give concrete expression to the grace for which we pray.
Messages and Call to Conversion
St. Matthew invites us to listen for Christ’s call in the circumstances of our daily lives. Where have we heard the Gospel clearly but delayed acting on it? Whom have we come to see only through the lens of a past mistake?
A concrete response might be to correct an unfair financial decision, return to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or make a deliberate effort to welcome someone who feels unwelcome. Choose one step that can be taken today, as Matthew did when he rose from the tax booth.
Conclusion
Jesus called Matthew in the middle of his working day and welcomed him into a life of discipleship. The meal that followed showed others that there was room for them in the company of Jesus.
As we celebrate St. Matthew’s feast, may we respond promptly when Christ calls and make his mercy visible in the way we receive others.
