Message of 9-21-2022

Published: Wed, 09/21/22

A Daily Spiritual Seed
Wednesday: September 21, 2022

Message of the Day

Prayer should never be regarded as a science or reduced to a system-that ruins it, because it is essentially a living and personal relationship, which tends to become more personal and also more simple, as one goes on.
[Evelyn Underhill {1875-1941}, "Letters"]

("Living and personal relationship" . . . let this understanding direct your prayer this day.)

Readings of the Day

Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

Mt 9:9-13

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.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat with Jesus and his disciples.
The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
He heard this and said,
“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

USCCB lectionary

Reflection on the Scripture

“Now it happened that, while Jesus was at table in Matthew’s home, many tax collectors and those known as sinners came to join Jesus and His disciples at dinner.” —Matthew 9:10

The Lord may have been making a statement in choosing a businessman (and a disreputable one at that) to compile the first book of the New Testament. The Lord does not believe in the separation of faith from life, church from business, and even church from state (as we erroneously understand it).

We are not to be Christians on Sunday but secular humanists on Monday. We must not be one way at church and different at home or work. The Lord does not believe in spiritual split personality disorder. He did not make us “bi-polar” spiritually; He makes us integral persons. Our faith is to be our life and not separated from our life. Our faith is not to “go out of business” but to “get down to business.” We are to discover or invent the means to permeate the culture with the gospel (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 899). We are not chameleons but disciples of Christ in any circumstances, even in anti-Christian environments. Be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Mt 5:13-14).

Prayer: Father, send the Holy Spirit so that my faith will permeate my work.

Promise: “It is He Who gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in roles of service for the faithful to build up the body of Christ.” —Eph 4:11-12

Praise: St. Matthew’s Gospel concludes with the promise of Jesus: “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20).

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