Matthew 9:9-13
Passing along, Jesus saw a man at his work
collecting taxes. His name was Matthew. Jesus said, “Come along with me.”
Matthew stood up and followed him. Later when Jesus was eating supper at
Matthew’s house with his close followers, a lot of disreputable characters came
and joined them. When the Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company, they
had a fit, and lit into Jesus’ followers. “What kind of example is this from
your Teacher, acting cozy with crooks and riffraff?” Jesus, overhearing, shot
back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what this
Scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders,
not coddle insiders.”
Food for thought!
As Jesus walked along the shores of Galilee, He
passed a man named Matthew who was working at the tax office. Matthew was a tax
collector. He worked for the Roman government, collecting taxes for the empire.
The Romans came up with a tax quota for each province in the empire. They
allowed their private people to bid on the contracts for collecting the taxes
in each area. As long as these tax collectors met their quota, Rome didn’t care
how much more they collected. As a result, the tax collectors became very rich,
(you remember Zacchaeus, in Luke 19:2) as they overcharged the people, paid
Rome and kept the difference for themselves. Tax collectors were known as
public sinners. Matthew was one of them.
Because Matthew was a tax collector for Rome, he
was among the most despised people around. He was viewed as a traitor to his
people and to his nation. He must have been also a disappointment to his
parents. He was from the tribe of Levi (and you remember that in the Old
Testament all priests came from the tribe of Levi). Instead of serving as
a priest, Levi was working in the tax collection business. I am sure that
Levi’s parents had great expectations for their son. They hoped he would serve
in the Temple as a priest. Instead, Levi became something else, turning his
back against everybody's expectations.
As Jesus passed by, He saw this man, sitting by the
tax office. Why would Jesus have any use for a man like this? Despite his
occupation; his lifestyle; his failures; and his sins; Jesus loved and called
him to a new life. The gospel says that JESUS SAW A MAN. This week Jesus has
taught us that he sees beyond the surface. He saw Matthew not as everybody saw
him but as God sees him. The good religious people of the city despised him.
They said: “What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cozy with
crooks and riffraff?" For these people, Matthew was a crook! For Jesus he
was a potential.
Jesus sees the hidden potential in us – Jesus
saw Matthew's potential. He saw that Matthew would be a faithful follower of
Jesus; he would one day write a Gospel, The Gospel of Jesus Christ according
to St. Matthew.
Never give up! Keep praying, keep walking and
working. Keep believing! One day you too will write good news of your own; You
may not know it but Jesus knows your potential and value, that is why he died
for you! To him be praise and honour and glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
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