Good morning. I pray that your week ahead will be a good one.
Today we remember the author of the Gospel we have been hearing from for the last number of Sundays. Matthew, remembers the Tax Collector. And we all know how we feel about the tax collector.
But here is a man that Jesus saw not defined by his job, rather by what He was able to see in his soul.
Years later St. Ephram (306-373) wrote about this man. He wrote, “Our Lord chose Matthew the tax collector, to encourage His followers to join Him . He looked on sinners, called them and brought them them to sit beside Him
What a wonderful sight! Angels stand trembling, while publicans, seated, rejoice”
As we heard yesterday, God does not look upon others as we do. God looks into the soul of the person to see what he created when He breathed the Breath of Life into that little lump of clay. In there lies the true person, the one who is worthy of salvation as any other. Maybe we need to look not at that exterior shell that the person created to protect themselves, but into the soul that God created.
Peace and All Good,
Fr. Vinnie, osf and the
Bros and Srs of the
Franciscan House of Prayer.