Feast of St. Matthew

(Christ with His 12 Apostles, as depicted on the front of the Shrine of Our Lady of Montserrat, Spain)

Contemplation of the twelve men Our Lord chose to be His closest associates - His apostles - is consoling to those of us who are imperfect! :) The Apostles certainly had their shortcomings...whether it was Thomas's doubts... or Peter's cockiness...or Matthew's previous job as a Jew who had betrayed his people by becoming a tax collector for the Romans! He was an outcast from his own people because he chose the almighty dollar over his beliefs. But all that changed when Our Lord said to Him simply, "Follow Me."

"What strikes us first in this swiftly-moving scene is the goodness of Jesus, Who, without considering the severe criticism that would be passed upon Him on account of His choice, takes among the number of His disciples and later among His apostles an apparently most unworthy man. Next, we admire the generosity of this Jew, bound to his money by so many ties, yet who unhesitatingly abandons all, sacrifices all, in order to respond to the voice that calls him...He goes to the Master, bringing Him with the repentance over his failings the gift of his heart and life."Manifestly this man was superior to his occupation. Therefore, how we must be on our guard against appearances! We judge by them and we are deceived. We consider our neighbor through the distorting glass of our prejudice and our passions...We ascribe to him animosity and defects which he does not possess, and we refuse to notice his sometimes rare qualities. We pass him by with indifference and hostility, like a field that looks sterile but which conceals a treasure. God sees and receives this wealth, because His eye penetrates the depths."

                                           ~ Rev. A. Galy, S.M., The Friend of Sinners, imprimatur 1930.

Oh ,what a comfort to us to know that Our Lord penetrates our depths with His holy glance! He knows what we really are, and does not judge us by our outward mistakes, but by what is truly in our hearts. On the other hand, He also knows when we are outwardly good, but our intentions are full of pride and selfishness. Let us work daily towards greater purity of heart and greater purity of intention in all our thoughts, words and deeds!