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From Sinner to Saint
As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the
customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and
followed him.” Matthew 9:9
Saint Matthew, whom we honor today, makes following Christ seem so
simple. Jesus said, “Follow me,” and Matthew did so, leaving behind
his former life and all the baggage he carried. Or did he? Though
Matthew’s instant response is inspiring, we should not presume that
everything became easy from that moment on. When we have deeply
ingrained habits of sin, it takes time and grace to root them out.
But none of that healing can begin until we take the first step,
which Matthew courageously did in today’s Gospel.
After leaving his customs post, Matthew hosted a dinner for Jesus
in his home. Though his home may have been comfortable and the food
rich, Matthew—like any new convert—had a long way to go. Tax
collectors were despised by nearly everyone, except fellow tax
collectors and those branded as sinners. The Jews saw them as
traitors to both faith and nation, often barring them from
synagogue and Temple worship. Their families, too, were commonly
treated with contempt, sometimes even disowned. Ironically, even
the Romans, for whom they collected taxes, looked down on them, as
they were not true members of the Empire.
This religious and social isolation inflicted deep suffering on
these “sinners.” Though tax collectors may have lived outwardly
lavish lives, their hearts often bore the sting of loneliness and
rejection. It was into this wounded world that Jesus stepped when
He encountered Matthew.
The fact that Matthew followed Jesus quickly and eagerly reveals
much about Matthew’s inner life. He had heard of this new
preacher—perhaps even whispers that He might be the Messiah—and the
news had stirred something within. When this rabbi not only noticed
him but spoke compassionately to him, commanding him to follow and
accepting an invitation to dine in his home, it must have awakened
a flood of emotion. Perhaps for the first time in years, Matthew
felt something stirring within that had long been buried. Freedom,
excitement, hope, and curiosity filled him, and he was willing to
walk away from the past and begin anew.
But conversion is not the end; it’s only the beginning. Consider
the weeks, months, and years that followed. Like us, Matthew likely
wrestled with second thoughts. He would have struggled with guilt
and shame, felt unworthy to be among Jesus’ disciples, missed
aspects of his old life, and faced the unfamiliar turmoil of inner
transformation.
For Matthew, as for all disciples, conversion is the first step.
Discipleship is the ongoing journey by which the light of Heaven
slowly and steadily penetrates every dark corner of our hearts. We
begin to see our attachments more clearly, to understand the harm
we’ve caused others, and to navigate the confusion that often
arises when grace begins its work within.
Today, we honor Saint Matthew because he kept going after that
first step. The three years he spent at Jesus’ side during the
public ministry would have been years of profound transformation.
After the Ascension, that transformation deepened as the Holy
Spirit enlightened him from within, leading him to even more
glorious things.
Reflect today on the long and often painful journey of conversion
and purification that Saint Matthew endured faithfully until the
end. According to tradition, Matthew eventually traveled to the
region south of the Caspian Sea—modern-day Iran or Armenia—where he
gave his life in martyrdom. His most enduring legacy, however, is
the Gospel he wrote. If God could use a tax collector and sinner
like Matthew to do such great things, He can use each of us as
well. Seek Saint Matthew’s intercession. Ponder his Gospel. And
pray for the grace to imitate his holy perseverance, one step at a
time.
Saint Matthew, when Jesus called, you followed without
hesitation. Please pray for me, that I may respond to every
prompting of grace as soon as it is offered. Intercede for me, that
I—and all followers of Christ—may imitate your heroic journey: from
sinner, wounded and isolated, to saint, dwelling forever in the
glory of God’s Kingdom. Jesus, call me as You called Matthew, and
grant me the grace he received to follow You faithfully to the end.
Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Saint Matthew the Evangelist, by Liviu
Dumitrescu
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