Bible
Study: Ephesians 4, 1 to 7, 11 to 13 and
Matthew 9, 9 to 13.
The call
of Matthew, the tax collector is a classic example of the fact that before God,
no one is absolutely useless. Many looked at Matthew and could only see in him
a sinner, because, in the business of collecting taxes, the tax-master always
kept his own share.
However, God
looked at Matthew and saw in him a man who would not only become a great
apostle but the very man to write one of the Gospels that would be used for
thousands of thousands of years to come to preach and talk about Jesus.
Man’s
opinion about you may be damaging but it is God’s opinion that matters. The name
people call you is just an identity, it does not define your essence. The fact
that people are laughing at you or insulting you does not make you a loser. Let
God have the last word. God relates with us based on our potentials and not our
past. We should therefore not allow the past prevent us from responding to
God’s call from within.
We all
have been called to various apostolates and equipped with various gifts and
talents, but then, the fact that we have been given different gifts does not
necessarily mean that God wants us all to open new churches. Jesus called
Matthew but we are not told that Matthew started his own band, he followed; he
served the team of apostles and contributed to the unity and success of the
twelve.
As St.
Paul says in the first reading, the various gifts we have been given are to be
used for the collective growth of the body of Christ in UNITY. “And his gifts
were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some
pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for
building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith.”
Since we
have different gifts and callings, we cannot all do the same work but wherever
we find ourselves, we must be “eager to MAINTAIN THE UNITY of the Spirit in the
bond of peace.” Because “there is one body and one Spirit … one Lord, one
faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all.” Ephesians 4, 3 to 6.
Furthermore,
the call of Matthew challenges us never to become puffed up by pride concerning
our state of life. We could become so self-righteous to the point that we begin
to think that no longer need God. We become like the healthy who believe they
have no need of going to see a doctor.
But can we
really do without God? Can we say we have become so holy that we no longer need
the mercy and grace of God to survive? No wonder the saying is true that pride
goes before a catastrophic fall.
Let us
pray:
Lord
Jesus, just as you called Matthew, may I be an instrument in your hands in
winning hearts and minds closer to you everyday. Amen.
Good evening.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you.
Fr. Abu
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