The CNA Deutsch agency has reported on Cardinal Kurt Koch’s homily, delivered on Friday at the Church of the Holy Rosary on Monte Mario in Rome, where the image of Mary Advocata is located. Considered one of the oldest icons of Mary, some believe it was painted by the evangelist Luke.
In the first Gospel of the New Testament, Matthew is portrayed as a man sitting at the customs office. As a tax collector, Matthew was regarded as a public sinner in the common opinion of Israel at that time. Tax collectors were seen as collaborators with the foreign rule in Israel, capable of setting arbitrary taxes. The Gospels often mention “tax collector and sinner” together, including today’s Gospel.
Despite his reputation, Matthew carries a beautiful name meaning “gift of God” in Hebrew. Throughout the Gospels, Matthew is listed among the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus to bring the Gospel to the people.
So, how do we reconcile Matthew’s name as a “gift of God” with his notorious public sinfulness? Jesus Himself provides an answer in today’s Gospel, stating that He came to call sinners, not the righteous. The fact that Jesus specifically called Matthew emphasizes that His offer is for every sinner, excluding no one from His friendship.
English writer Gilbert Chesterton beautifully expressed this message, stating that a saint can be infallibly recognized by the knowledge of being a sinner. Paradoxical at first, it is in recognizing and admitting our sinfulness that we truly experience God. Only then can we recognize ourselves as sinners.
Matthew’s awareness of his sins led him to become holy. A saint seeks and consents to God’s will in their life. The fact that Jesus called Matthew offers comfort to all sinners. The Heart of Jesus, filled with love, proclaims that there are no hopeless cases. No matter how far one has fallen, they can find refuge in the open hands of the Lord.
Another message from today’s Gospel is the immediate readiness of Matthew to respond to Jesus’ call to “Follow me!” The brevity of the two sentences demonstrates the depth of Jesus’ intimacy with Matthew, urging him to leave everything behind, including his secure income as a tax collector. From that moment on, Matthew no longer collected taxes for the Roman Empire but shared the currency of the Kingdom of God, offering humanity the golden talent of the Gospel.
What Matthew exemplifies should also manifest in us. As we experience the presence of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist and adoration, we encounter the love of His heart, accepting us as we are and continually calling us to follow Him. This daily call is renewed in a new way.
Through the intercession of the Holy Advocate, let us ask the living God that, as we contemplate the figure of the Apostle Matthew today, we may encounter the open and loving heart of Jesus. He sees our sinfulness but always calls us by name, urging us to follow Him in love, live the golden aura of His Gospel, and proclaim it to our fellow human beings.
