24th Week in Ordinary Time
21st September 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13; 50:21-21a
Brethren: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling, to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds 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 and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5 (R. 5a)
R/. Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. We praise you, O God; we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 9:9-13
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Embracing God's Call !
Guidlines: Oh, how beautiful and precious is the gift of vocation! If only we are a little more conscious and contemplate it more often, we will appreciate it, and we will also strive to live it well{alertSuccess}
1. 21 September marks the feast of St Matthew, one of the Twelve Apostles, and one of the four evangelists. We had already elaborately meditated on a couple of occasions on his call and mission. However, we shall try to encapsulate the pivotal theme.
2. The call of Matthew once again evidences God’s initiative and gratuitous offer in every call. It is Jesus who calls. It is he who chooses. One may say, I have consulted, I have prayed, and discerned. I have opted for this life, et cetera.
3. Apparently, it looks like it is the personal choice of the concerned person. But, essentially, it is God’s Spirit that moves, inspires, and helps to discern. No one can choose to follow God’s call unless God wills to choose!
4. Thus, we must always be deeply conscious that our call is not due to our merit but due to His mercy. In calling us, he is not led by any human considerations or calculations or labels or prejudices. Jesus was least bothered about Matthew’s label as a sinner due to his tax collection.
5. This is a great reason for assurance and confidence for us. Our sinful past, our humble backgrounds, and our incapacities need not bog us down or discourage us. God looks at us as we are. He accepts us with all our limitations. In fact, he sees not so much what we are but what we can become.
6. Let us also venerate and admire Matthew for his response to this offer. It was a prompt and generous acceptance of Jesus’ invitation, “Come, follow me!” Certainly, it needed real courage to give up the security and abundance of his job and follow Jesus who had no such stable stay or security.
7. There was no hesitation. He was quick and prompt. God’s call always carries a sense and tone of urgency. There is no time to waste or delay. At once we need to set ourselves to follow him and serve him.
8. Therefore, all that is needed is: to be alert to listen to his daily call to follow him, willing and prompt to renounce everything and follow him. The real worth of this call is when we constantly strive to live worthy of our call and thus merit it.
9. This is what the first reading from the letter to Ephesians 4. 1-7, 11-13 exhorts us: “to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace”.
Practice: What we were (sinners) before the call, is not the matter. But what we become after the call is the matter.{alertSuccess}