Friday, July 4, 2025

 

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 23:1-4.19.24:1-8.62-67; Matthew 9:9-13)

Matthew only joined Jesus as a disciple.  He had to learn from him about God and how tell others about God.  The task involved more than listening to Jeus.  Matthew had to reflect, pray, and practice to become a competent evangelist.

Something similar may be said of the men who signed up for the Continental Army after the signing of the Declaration of Independence 149 years ago.  Their enthusiasm had to be transformed into training and corps spirit before they could contribute significantly to American freedom.  It was a drawn-out process which took years to complete.

Similarly becoming saints is no easy task.  We should not give up when our efforts flounder.  Rather we should try again, harder maybe, but always with our minds and hearts fixed on Jesus.  Asking his help assures our success.  He will send the Holy Spirit to make the necessary adjustments that make our lives holy.

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

A man was making a fortune in the world of finance.  Raised in a family dedicated to Christ, he started to reconsider his life.  He left his career to study theology.  The he became a Catholic and found a position helping street people.  In time he became the director of a diocesan Catholic Charities program.  His story reflects that of St. Matthew in today’s gospel.

Customs workers in gospel times, and still today in many places, are assumed to be corrupt.  Their position offers so many opportunities for taking bribes that few people pass them by.  Evidently, Jesus feels the need of a bookkeeper in his company or at least for one of Matthew’s other abilities.  He calls Matthew from his workplace to follow.  But there is a more basic reason for the call.  Matthew, a sinner, needs salvation!

We should know that we are likewise sinners in need of God’s grace. Jesus bestows this grace upon us as we hear the gospel proclaimed.  Like Matthew we should not hesitate to respond favorably.

Friday, July 7, 2023

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 23:1-4.19.24:1-8.62-67; Matthew 9:9-13)

Today’s gospel tells the story of the call of Matthew.  The scene has been portrayed by the great sixteenth century painter Caravaggio.  His painting features Jesus’ hand pointing at Matthew in the same position as God’s in creating Adam in Michelangelo’s mural of the Sistine Chapel.  

By mimicking the hand’s position, Caravaggio did not mean to ridicule his famous predecessor.  Far from that, he wanted to show how Jesus calling the publican Matthew represented a new creation.  He is going to form this businessman and likely crook into an apostle.  Matthew will no longer be making money but disciples.  He will be telling the world of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

We should see Jesus pointing his hand at us as well.  He is calling us from our egocentrism into a manifest love of God and neighbor.  Self-absorption is often a hard shell to crack, but it is worth the effort.  Feeling the love of God and bringing this love to others, we have a foretaste of our heavenly home.

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

 Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

In a very real sense today we celebrate two people – a preacher and a writer.  The preacher Matthew is distinguished for having given up a lucrative career as a tax collector.  Somewhat like St. Francis of Assisi, Matthew left his wealth to follow Jesus.  Nothing more of substance is said of him in the gospels except what we read in today’s passage.  As an apostle, It is presumed that he gave testimony to Christ’s resurrection and was martyred in the process.

Matthew, the evangelist, has left a marvelous legacy.  His portrait of Jesus balances the human descendent of David and the divine Son of God.  He describes Jesus not only as a wiseman but, more importantly, as an imperial lawgiver.  His construction of Jesus’ five lengthy discourses provides Christians with profound understanding of the moral life, church order, and what to expect at the end of time.  

We wonder about the accuracy of the gospels themselves when we hear things like Matthew, the apostle, was probably not the same as Matthew, the evangelist. Our concern probably reflects a resistance to embrace what is really true, good, and holy.  Both Matthew, the apostle, and Matthew, the evangelist, knew better.  Neither would harbor a doubt that Jesus’ company is the only way of life that brings perfection and transcendence.  Like the tax collector in today’s reading, we should eagerly follow him.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

 Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

It is said that St. Dominic carried a copy of Matthew’s gospel.  Like other serious Churchpersons, Dominic valued not only the first gospel’s discourse on community but also its pedagogic order.  Between the introductory chapters telling of Jesus’ birth and the finals chapter dealing with the death and resurrection, Matthew has five sections.  Each section has an opening narrative and a monologue of Jesus giving extended comment on a particular topic.

Today’s gospel is taken from the second section where Jesus calls his disciples.  A bit after the narrative, Jesus will deliver his apostolic discourse that instructs his followers apostles about carrying out a mission.  There are also lectures on the moral life of Christians, on the Kingdom of God (told in parables), on Church custom and order, and on the return of Jesus at the end of time.  Matthew weaves all this in the structure which he likely took from Mark’s gospel.

We can take away much from this gospel. Above all it testifies to Jesus being both son of David and Son of God.  As human, he was like us in every way except sin.  He knew our disappointments and hopes, our tears and our joys.  As Son of God (or God), he provides us with all we need for moral success and eternal happiness.

Friday, July 2, 2021

Dear Reader, if you receive these homilettes by email, you may find the service stopped in July.  As I understand an instruction from Google, its Burnfeeder program will no longer support the service.  You can always find the homilettes on the blog site: https://cbmdominicanpreacher.blogspot.com/ . Perhaps if you send me your email address, I could send the homilettes in a mass email.  You may send your email address to cmeleop@yahoo.com. I am also pchecking into other options like changing my blogging service. cm

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 23:1-4.19.24:1-8.62-67; Matthew 9:9-13)

Catholic moral reasoning often confounds its critics.  Where some people that one can do anything that produces a good effect, Catholics are told never to cooperate in evil or to give scandal.  The production of Covid vaccines this past year highlighted these issues of cooperation and scandal.  Some of the vaccines were tested using products of abortion.  Others were made with products of abortion.  Although some Catholics sounded the alarm on all these vaccines, the bishops of the United States judged that they might be used if no uncompromised vaccines were available.  The gospel today takes up the question of scandal.

The Pharisees seem to be criticizing Jesus for giving scandal.  They find his eating with sinners as approving sin.  Jesus corrects their mistaken judgment.  He has come to convert sinners, not to approve their sinfulness.  He is implying that people who judge him as approving of sin are too suspicious, too critical.

We can avoid giving scandal by living just lives.  If we take care to avoid sin and help others, many will want to emulate us.  We will be raising consciences to a higher level of judgment.

Monday, September 21, 2020

 Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

John’s gospel can be said to be more sublime.  Luke’s gospel, all in all, is probably more beautiful and Mark’s more passionate. But Matthew’s gospel seems to be the preferred gospel among people who take their faith seriously.  More than the others, Matthew’s gospel teaches Christians how to follow Christ.  After the narratives of Jesus’ infancy and baptism at the beginning and before the account of his passion, death, and resurrection at the end, the Gospel of Matthew gives five expertly formed lessons in discipleship.  Each of these lessons has a narrative and a discourse.  They inform readers how to live, how to evangelize, what the kingdom of God is like, how to be a church, and what to expect at the end of time.

Today’s passage from Matthew tells how Jesus called a tax-collector named Matthew to follow him.  This man has been thought to be the writer of the gospel because a second century scholar mentions a certain Matthew as the collector of sayings of Jesus in Hebrew.  Scholars today, however, see the author as having written in Greek during the eighth or ninth decade of the first century.  He probably never met Jesus although he knew a lot about him, especially his Jewish background.

Matthew’s gospel emphasizes the importance of faith.  If we are to experience the wonder of Jesus’ works, we must believe in him as Lord.  As Jesus promises at the end of the gospel, he will accompany us until the end of time.  Believing in his presence, we may turn to him in our need and experience his gracious care.

Friday, July 6, 2018

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 23:1-4.19.24:1-8.62-67; Matthew 9:9-13)

Building inspectors are often suspected of corruption because of the nature of their profession.  They can overlook faulty wiring or missing fire alarms for a few dollars under the table.  For this reason they may be considered like the tax collectors of Jesus’ time.

Today’s gospel affirms tax collectors’ dishonestly when Jesus says that he has come to call sinners.  But its hidden and more important message is that the “man named Matthew” is open to repentance.  When the Lord commands him to follow, Matthew jumps to the command.  The action implies that he will forfeit any unrighteous tendencies as he submits to Jesus’ instruction.

We must remember that we too are tax collectors of sorts.  By reason of a corrupted nature all of us are given to taking dishonest money, illicit pleasure, or what have you.  Nevertheless, at the same time like Matthew God has graced us with openness to truth and love.  We learn from Jesus how to live out this new way of grace.

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

Sometime near the year 90 of the Lord a man we know as Matthew wrote his gospel.  He took the Gospel according to Mark, a book of sayings that was being circulated among first century Christians, and his own sources to form a testimony to Jesus Christ.  It would enlighten his community somewhere in Syria regarding its mission.

The end of the first century was a time of profound change in the Christian world.  The Jews had reorganized after the destruction of the Temple twenty years earlier.  They could no longer tolerate Christians in their midst.  Christians as a result were more apostolic than ever.  They were founding their communities now more than ever in Gentile and not in Jewish areas.  By ending with Jesus’s sending his disciples to all the nations of the world, Matthew’s gospel reflects this change of concentration. 

Today’s passage indicates how a shift of emphasis was part of Jesus’ historical mission.  The tax collector Matthew was not the author of the gospel although it is possible that he provided some of its source material.  In any case he is an outsider because he is considered an extortionist and collaborator with the Roman oppressors of the Jewish people.  Nevertheless, Jesus calls him to become his disciple to the complete chagrin of the narrow-minded Pharisees.  He too must repent of any sins he has committed, but he should not be labelled as unfit just because he collected taxes.  Jesus calls us as well.  We must turn from our sinful ways, especially those which despise immigrants and other socially shunned groups. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

Nothing can be said about St. Matthew with certainty besides that he composed a gospel.  Today’s gospel passage speaks of a tax-collector named Matthew being called by Jesus.  Evidently this tax-collector is considered the evangelist because one tradition speaks of a certain Matthew as a compiler of sayings about Jesus.  Whoever he (or perhaps she) was, the person is owed a great deal of credit for the written legacy left.

Matthew’s gospel has prominence as the first work in the New Testament.  It has also been given great attention by both Catholics and Protestants.  Catholics see in it a testimony of the primacy of St. Peter and his successors.  They quote Jesus telling Peter, “’…you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.’” Protestants paradoxically find in Matthew reason to eschew hierarchy. They cite Jesus saying to his disciples, “’Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.’” 

We note in the first gospel the deepest reflection on the Church.  What stands out here is Jesus’ desire that his community serve one another as brothers and sisters.  Members should be ready to forgive those who stray from righteousness and even to seek them out.  There should not be any grabbing for honors among them.  Quite the contrary, they should be known for humility.

Friday, July 1, 2016

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)

Of all the symbols of freedom in the United States none seems to capture the imagination like the Statute of Liberty.  Standing on a patch of land in New York harbor, the image of a strong and lovely woman holding a torch high has lifted the hopes of millions of immigrants.  The statute beckons the newcomers to take advantage of the opportunities which the country provides.

Today’s gospel shows Jesus in a similar vein.  He is not calling the righteous to follow him but sinners.  He provides them opportunity to begin life anew through repentance and commitment.  They have to forfeit their larcenies, but they are given a greater treasure in the friendship he offers.

It is necessary that we see ourselves as sinners, but we should not take pride in the fact.  Sin hardens us from becoming the loving persons God calls us to be.  We need to constantly purify our thoughts, actions, and desires so that our lives might reflect God’s goodness.

Monday, September 21, 2015

Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

Sojourners, the premier Christian social justice magazine, recently featured a woman pastor whose body was covered with tattoos.  According to the article the pastor is doing remarkable work shepherding a Lutheran community that includes gays and lesbians.  Seeing her picture, however, strikes many as odd. It must have been as peculiar for Jews to see a tax collector following Jesus in the gospel today.

In Palestine at the time of Christ tax collectors are seen as collaborators with the imperial government.  Moreover, they are generally considered as using their authority to swindle people.  This judgment is not made of Matthew, but certainly the Pharisees criticize Matthew’s house guests as sinful.  Jesus, on the other hand, is not repulsed by the company but attracted to it.  He came precisely to tell sinners of God’s unique love for them.

We need to refrain from judging others by their appearance.  Rather let us not be afraid to dialogue with everyone.  Like Jesus we want to intimate God’s love by our friendliness.  We also might relate how we find the hand of the Lord making us into who we are.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)

Of all the symbols of freedom and justice in the United States none seems to capture the imagination like the Statute of Liberty.  Standing on an island in New York harbor, the image of a strong and lovely woman with a torch in her hand held high certainly has lifted the hopes of millions of poor immigrants.  They have sought no more than opportunity which the country based on law and animated by civic affection provided.

Today’s gospel shows Jesus in a similar way calling not the wealthy and the righteous but tax collectors and sinners.  He too provides opportunity – his life-giving love – for them to begin anew.  By all means they will have to forfeit their larcenies, but they have already a cogent reason to do so in the fellowship they have with the Lord.

Today we Americans should toast out country.  Only fools would deny its greatness in spawning not just wealth to millions but, more importantly, a spirit of generosity and cooperation.  Of course, we also thank God for His blessings on our forefathers and mothers who first came to this land.  Likewise, we entreat the Lord that the gifts so bounteously bestowed will not be squandered out of selfishness and individualism.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 23:1-4.19.24:1-8.62-67; Matthew 9:9-13)

Building inspectors are often considered corrupt by the nature of their profession.  It is claimed that they have so much authority to accept or reject many hours of labor that they will gladly overlook faulty wiring or missing fire alarms for a few dollars under the table.  For this reason they may be considered modern tax collectors who bore the same reputation in Jesus’ time as today’s gospel notes.

The passage apparently affirms the tax collector’s dishonestly when Jesus tells the Pharisees that he comes to call sinners.  Its underlying claim, however, is that the “man named Matthew” is also open to the Lord’s command to follow and obeys it.  It implies as well that he will forfeit any unrighteous tendencies as he submits to Jesus’ instruction.

We must remember that we too are tax collectors of sorts.  By reason of a corrupted nature all of us are given to taking dishonest money, illicit pleasure, or what have you.  Nevertheless, at the same time like Matthew God has graced us with openness to truth and love.  We learn from Jesus how to live out this new way of grace.

Friday, July 6, 2012

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)

The famous psychiatrist Dr. Scott Peck once began a presentation by speaking about one of the most important events of the twentieth century taking place in Akron, Ohio, during the 1930s. The audience wondered if they heard the man correctly. “What famous event ever took place in Akron, Ohio?” they thought. Soon Dr. Peck explained. He was referring to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that has enabled millions of people to overcome their lethal disease.

People attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have a distinct advantage over most of the population. They know that they are sick and therefore seek the necessary help to overcome their debility. Unfortunately, most of us are in denial regarding our sickness. Of course, not everyone is an alcoholic, but each of us has some inclination toward sin. Jesus tells us as much the Pharisees in the gospel today. Unless we acknowledge ourselves as sinners, he warns, we will not share in the Kingdom that he is bringing about.

Feast of Saint Matthew, evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

For almost a hundred years countries have honored their war dead with a “tomb of the unknown soldier.” With the discovery of DNA, the custom has faced a challenge. Most every fallen soldier, no matter how mutilated, may be identified through his or her DNA make-up. But, of course, war dead are still given due respect by the reverence paid to their multiple burial sites. Today the Church honors an evangelist whose identity has undergone the reverse challenge to that of unknown soldiers.

Although Matthew, the publican, has traditionally been associated with the author of the first gospel, historians cannot find firm evidence for the linkage. Most certainly the gospel was written by a scribe who did not know Jesus historically. From the way the gospel is written, we can say that the author was fluent in Greek, was conversant with the Jewish Scriptures, and had a developed sense of Church structure.

We need not be disillusioned that we cannot identify with precision any of the four evangelists. But we should rejoice in the fact that they have related to us the story of Jesus. It is this story rendered in four unique versions which keeps us on the path of righteousness. It is this gospel that leads us to salvation.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Feast of Saint Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

Once a social worker in a Catholic nursing home was doing what we might call “gospel therapy” with a resident. She read the first part of a verse expecting him to complete it. It was amazing how many of the verses the aged resident knew so well that his response was automatic. For example, she might have said, “I am the way.” And the respondent would supply, “And the truth and the life.” Many of the worker’s verses were drawn from the Gospel According to Matthew which are etched in the memories of most Catholics. For example, she said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit...”; “Come after me and I will make you...”; “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine...”

Today we celebrate the feast of the author of this “first” gospel. As with the other gospels we know little with certainty about his background. Because his Greek language is refined, he was not likely a Hebrew-speaking disciple of Jesus. Since the gospel refers to the destruction of the Temple, which occurred in the year 70 A.D., he probably composed the work after that date and, therefore, was of the second generation of Christianity.

In the Gospel passage selected for today’s feast, Jesus characteristically quotes the Old Testament. The evangelist Matthew alters those words a bit, however. Where the prophet Hosea says that God wants mercy more than sacrifice, Jesus is quoted as saying that God wants mercy and not sacrifice. Whatever Jesus’ original words were, Matthew also expresses his purpose for coming to the world. We should take them to heart because they contain the key to salvation. Let us do a bit of gospel therapy. If we hear, “I did not come to call the righteous...” What are we to answer?

Friday, July 2, 2010

Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 8:4-6.9-12; Matthew 9:9-13)

The famous psychiatrist-writer Scott Peck once began a presentation by speaking about one of the most important events of the twentieth century occurring in Akron, Ohio, during the 1930s. The audience wondered if they heard the man correctly. They thought, “What famous event ever took place in Akron, Ohio?” Soon Dr. Peck explained. He was referring to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organization that has enabled millions of people to overcome a killing disease.

People attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings have a distinct advantage over most of the population. They know that they are sick; therefore, they seek the help they need to overcome their debility. Unfortunately, most people are in denial about their sickness. Of course, not everyone is an alcoholic, but each of us has some sickness, some inclination toward sin. Jesus tells us just as much the Pharisees in the gospel today that unless we acknowledge ourselves as sinners, we cannot share in the Kingdom of God that he is bringing about.

Homilette for Monday, September 21, 2009

Feast of St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist

(Ephesians 4:1-7.11-13; Matthew 9:9-13)

A social worker in a Catholic nursing home was doing what we might call gospel therapy. She read the first part of a familiar gospel verse to a resident expecting him or her to complete it. It was amazing how many of the verses one aged resident knew. His responses seemed second nature, without thinking much less groping for words. For example, the social worker said something like, “I am the way...,” and the resident replied immediately, “...and the truth and the life.” The worker’s verses included some from the Gospel according to Matthew that are etched in Catholic consciousness like: “Blessed are the poor in spirit...”; “Come after me and I will make you...”; “Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine...”

As with the other gospels we can say little with certainty about the background of Matthew’s. Because its Greek language is refined, someone schooled in that language, and not in Hebrew, is believed to have written it. Since it refers to the destruction of the Temple which occurred in the year 70 A.D., it was likely composed after that date. Its familiarity with the Jewish Scripture and customs suggests that the author intended it for a community with at least some Jewish roots.

In the passage selected for today feast, Jesus characteristically quotes the Old Testament. However Matthew alters those words a bit, however. Where the prophet Hosea says that God wants mercy more than sacrifice, Jesus is quoted as saying that God wants mercy and not sacrifice. Whatever Jesus’ original words were, he also expresses his purpose for coming to the world. We should take them to heart because they contain the key to salvation. Let me begin the verse and have you complete it for yourselves: “I did not come to call the righteous...”