“As Jesus passed on, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. . . . . . . . . . . . “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when he heard it, he said, . . . . . . . . . . . ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Excerpt, Gospel Reading, Friday 4th July 2025 – MATTHEW 9:9-13.
So, when Christ Jesus was calling his disciples, those from among whom he later chose his Apostles from among them, why was there this repeated constant as with the Apostle Matthew in today’s teaching?
He called Simon the zealot. Then, he also called Simon, whom he later renamed Peter, an impetuous man.
Then, there were the likes of Thomas, famous for his doubts. As well as the others who practically scampered away at the time and point of his arrest.
Then, there was Judas Iscariot. He whom it was that did not only sell him out, he went as far as leading his captors to arrest him.
Finally, even after he has returned to heaven, he yet chose a man like Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul.
Now, could it possibly be that there were not at that time genuinely righteous people who served and worshipped God in truth and in spirit in the whole of Palestine of that era?
Well, that is hard to tell, since we were not there at that time.
Yet, one still have doubts that there may not be many of such people available at that place and at that time.
Then, why will Jesus go for such people whom the world already know and consider them as public sinners?
Well, that too, we can’t tell. None of us was on Jesus’ mind when he was making his choice.
Moreover, Jesus Christ is God and God works in mysterious ways.
Nevertheless, if one may hazard a guess, it could be any of these two reasons and possibly more.
Those on the path of righteousness were possibly considered to be on the right course.
Possibly so, because, Christ himself said it in today’s teaching that he did not come for such people.
That is the first of the two reasons. The second one could possibly be like a sibling to the first.
Due to circumstances of life, some of us have found ourselves on paths and at places where we are compelled to bow to pressure.
Nevertheless, since God sees the heart, he went for those of us caught in such paths of life.
That could possibly explain the reason why Matthew in today’s teaching, once called, he immediately left everything and followed.
In addition, it could also be to prove to prove to us that none of us has gone too far and can not be redeemed.
Consequently, none of us has been so stained and constrained by our ways that we cannot change course and work for the propagation of the kingdom of God, as did Matthew in today’s teaching.
If the Apostles Matthew and Paul could change and they are now saints, then, we do not have any excuse.
We mustn’t give on ourselves. Even Judas Iscariot would have been saved if he hadn’t given up on himself.
Dear friend, don’t give up.
Have a fantastic day and a pleasant weekend.
#SAINT_ELIZABETH_OF_PORTUGAL! #Blessed_Carlo_Acutis! #Pray_for_us!
– Akase F. Agabo
Abuja, Nigeria.
4th July 2025.