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Tuesday of week 14 of the year or Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin, Martyr or Saint Moninne, Virgin

July 6th, 2010

“I came to call sinners”
Mt 9:13

Today, we reflect upon the word ‘call’, and we see that no one is exempt from the invitation to follow Jesus. Matthew, who was called by Jesus, had a lovely name: it means ‘the gift of God’. But his name had an echo of irony in it because of his work as a tax collector. The Jews were prejudiced against paying taxes as the system of taxation was so loose that the collector could line his own pockets. Because of this stigma, all tax collectors were forbidden to enter the synagogue.

Matthew was a man involved in sinful ways, but it was a moment of grace when Jesus called him. He did not hesitate to leave his counting table and weighing scales. The pharisees could not understand the attitude of Jesus as he knew he was dealing with a sinner. They found fault with Jesus, but he tells them that he has come for those who know they need forgiveness, healing and mercy.
The glance of Jesus converts Matthew and he invites him to sit at table with him.

Prayer


Prayer We ask the Holy Spirit to challenge our old ways of thinking so that we may be fresh in mind and heart.

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Just a Thought

The Eucharist

The manner in which we celebrate Eucharist and the reverence we give to it speak greatly of the sort of people we are. The following is a lovely story from the early Church which I came across recently: it might help us to understand what it means to be a member of the Church:

Cyprian of Cathage, wrote to his friend, Donatus: “It’s a bad world, Donatus, in which we live. But right in the middle of it I have discovered a quiet and holy group of people. They are people who have found a happiness that is a thousand times more joyful than all the pleasures of our sinful lives. These people are despised and persecuted, but it doesn’t matter to them. They are Christians, Donatus, and I am one of them.”

St. Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, describes how those people, the early Christians, bore witness to Christ and celebrated the Eucharist – i.e. the Mass; “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions;… There was not a needy person among them…. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes…”

The Eucharist has consequences for the way we should live our lives. St. Augustine tells us that the Lord gave us these gifts of his Body and Blood so that we, too, might become these very things – i.e. his Body and Blood for the life of the world.

During the celebration of the Last Supper Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you also should do what I have done to you.” Through us Christ is made present to our world. Our sharing in the Eucharist bonds us together with our brothers and sisters who have also been immersed into the life of Christ through the waters of Baptism.

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