As Jesus passed by,
he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.
He said to him, "Follow me."
We all hear this call in one form or another. Matthew exemplifies the response we must all give. It is a unreserved, complete, with nothing held back. We don't usually succeed at this as immediately as does Matthew. But Jesus continues to call us, "Follow me." Matthew calls to us, telling us it is possible, possible even for sinners and tax collectors.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
It isn't something about Matthew that makes him so good at responding to the call of Jesus. It is rather the Divine Physician who calls him who enables him to make this response. Matthew walks to him freely. But he does so because the invitation itself gives him the power to move forward. So too with us. Jesus calls us to follow him. To leave aside aspects of our old life can be difficult. We are all called to become more than what we were. We must all leave certain aspects, even dearly held aspects, of ourselves behind us. They are so tightly knit into our identity that this is basically impossible without also receiving a new identity in Christ.
Thanks be to God, we do receive a new identity in Jesus that enables us to make a profound break with our old sinful selves and live in a manner worthy of the call we have received.
I, a prisoner for the Lord,
urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
bearing with one another through love,
striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace
When we first think of our old selves we think about how we were never drug dealers or murderers. But we do remember times when we were all too willing to let pride, impatience, and meanness dominate our actions. We know we have not always been willing to bear with one another through love. The bond of peace has sometimes been the furthest thing from our minds. But the new identity we have in Christ changes this. It includes the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that make it possible for us to live as followers of Jesus each according to our unique calling.
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets,
others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers,
to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry,
for building up the Body of Christ,
until we all attain to the unity of faith
and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,
to the extent of the full stature of Christ.
And yes, it is something we grow into, until we attain the full stature of Christ. Let us ask Matthew for his prayers that we ourselves would experience that kind of extreme transformation. He assures us it is possible.
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
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