The Calling of St. Matthew Caravaggio

From the June/July issue, FIRST THINGS, Julie Stoner’s

“I Did Not Come to Call the Righteous”

Matthew 9: 9-13

We ninety-nine obedient sheep;

we workers hired at dawn’s first peep;

we faithful sons who strive to please,

forsaking prodigalities;

we virgins who take pains to keep

our lamps lit, even in our sleep;

we law-abiding Pharisees;

we wince at gospels such as these.

In referencing the Apostle Matthew, Pope Benedict XVI reminded his General Audience, Wednesday August 30, 2006 that “[t]he good news of the Gospel consists precisely in this: offering God’s grace to the sinner!”

Matthew — in Hebrew “gift of God” — was a tax collector. The Holy Father continues,

Matthew, in fact, not only handled money deemed impure because of its provenance from people foreign to the People of God, but he also collaborated with an alien and despicably greedy authority whose tributes moreover, could be arbitrarily determined. This is why the Gospels several times link “tax collectors and sinners” (Mt 9:10; Lk 15:1), as well as “tax collectors and prostitutes” (Mt 21:31).

Furthermore, they see publicans as an example of miserliness (cf. Mt 5:46: they only like those who like them), and mention one of them, Zacchaeus, as “a chief tax collector, and rich” (Lk 19:2), whereas popular opinion associated them with “extortioners, the unjust, adulterers” (Lk 18:11).

A first fact strikes one based on these references: Jesus does not exclude anyone from His friendship…..

Just a reminder.