⏰Feast of St. Matthew (21 Sept. 2019)
📖Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Ps 19:2-3, 4-5 (R.v.5a); Matt 9:9-13
🎤"NO MATTER HOW MY PAST HAS BEEN, I CAN BEGIN ANEW"
My dear, the Feast of the apostle Matthew reminds us again that our God of justice is also the Merciful God. He is ever ready to accept us back to himself and use us irrespective of what our past has been.
Matthew, or Levi in the Gospel of Mark (Mark 2:13-17), was a public sinner in the rating of the Jews. But Jesus went to the very source of his sin to begin his salvation.
Can you not also hear Jesus calling you from that particular sin you have been dwelling in to come out and be saved? It does not matter how dark your past has been; he is waiting with mercy to save you.
Just as in the case of St. Matthew, your conversion can also mean the conversion of many. Jesus called only Matthew, but many other tax collectors followed (cf. Matt 9:10; Mark 2:15).
Do you know that there are many people who are looking up to you as their model? Are you not going to give them the opportunity to get saved too by turning to Christ yourself?
Finally, this Feast reminds us that we are all objects of God's mercy. God has shown us mercy while we were sinners. We must also become disciples of mercy to others especially those we consider as never-do-wells in the society (see Eph 4:1-13).
May the mercy of God always follow us to lift us up and guide us along the right path to success in this life and salvation in the next. Amen.
Have a joyful day. Peace be with you.