The Tax Collector

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Ancient Songs Sung Anew, cleansing, conversion, Divine Light, follow me, Jesus, light, Matthew, mercy, profit, psalm 19, sacrifice, sinners, St. Matthew, tax collector, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, truth, wisdom

We know only two things about St. Matthew whose feast we celebrate today. First, we know him as a tax collector and secondly that he responded to the call of Jesus who approached him with the command: “Follow me,” and later was credited with the Gospel that bears his name. In the time of Jesus, tax collectors were not beloved members of society. It seems that, once again, Jesus was trying to make an important point by calling Matthew to be a disciple – a call that Matthew was unlikely to accept in the unquestioning way that he did. He was making some money, after all, and his job was likely secure. But Matthew got up from his customs post and seems to have never questioned the motives of Jesus or his own response. Clearly, others questioned however! “Why does the teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” they boldly said – not thinking of any transgressions they themselves might have committed. Jesus was clear in his response to these queries. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Something in Matthew knew what Jesus was about and prompted him to say yes to the invitation. I found verses in Psalm 19, later than the lectionary verses from today and in a different translation, whose monetary metaphor seems in accord with the desire – known or unknown – of Matthew’s heart at the moment he was called to be a disciple. See what you think.

Pure light, pure truth, pure justice, God, they’re like a cleansing wind that passes through our souls, assessing all. Your presence is more valuable to us than gold, far sweeter to the tongue than honey in the comb. For it is you and you alone who teaches us, O great instructor of the soul, and in this school of wisdom, you’re the profit, true, and wisdom, the reward. (Ancient Songs Sung Anew, p.45)

May our desire for conversion deepen daily and our recognition of that to which we are called become clearer in each encounter with the divine light stirring in our hearts.

 

 

 

 

An Unlikely Choice

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choices, Jesus, sinner, St. Matthew, tax collector, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, traitor

Sometimes we are surprised by the choices people make. Often that’s because we can’t see with our eyes the workings of anyone else’s mind – or occasionally even our own. I had two conversations yesterday about trusting what we can’t see or yet know and how that is sometimes what we have to do when we are unable to clearly evaluate how the options we are considering (“Do I or don’t I?”) will work out.

Today is the feast of St. Matthew, one of the four evangelists credited with writing the gospels. I was interested to see what the folks at http://www.franciscanmedia.com would say about him and it was there that I found the thesis statement above that I offer as our “thought for the day.” Here’s what Father Don Miller, OSF said. See how it resonates with you as an example of the unusual choice and what the consequences might be.

Matthew was a Jew, but he worked for the Romans as a tax collector. His fellow Jews considered him a traitor and resented him. The Pharisees viewed him, and all tax collectors, as a sinner. So it was a real shock to hear that Jesus called such a man to be one of his followers. But that’s the kind of thing Jesus did.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Tax Collector

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Ash Wednesday. Jesus, Cuba, God waits, Jews, Matthew, mercy, patience, poor, Pope Francis, Romans, sinners, tax collector, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Today is the feast of St. Matthew who, before being called by Jesus, spent his time collecting taxes from the Jews for the Roman occupation forces – and probably, according to the custom, kept some of the money himself. He was an unlikely choice to become one of the closest followers of Jesus since the “publicans” as they were called were considered traitors by their fellow Jews. When the buzz began about why Jesus would associate with such immoral people, Jesus stated that 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. (MT 9:12-13)

Pope Francis is in Cuba on his way to the United States where millions of people will see him in person or, at least, on television. His message is always one of mercy – that “fierce, bonding love of God” for us and his vision for the Church is one of mercy and embrace of the poor. In one of his first homilies as Pope, he spoke of many of the closest followers of Jesus who came to him late like Matthew or those whom we remember sometimes for their weakness, like Peter or Thomas. He said then that God always has patience; God waits, acting like Jesus with the disciples on the road to Emmaus who were slow to recognize him or like the merciful father who ran to meet his wayward son. God always waits and pours out his love and mercy on all who turn or return – early or late – to love. This is, I think, the “good news” – maybe the best news – for this day.

What’s My Line?

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aging, Antony of Egypt, centenarians, Don't judge a book by it's cover, family, Hebrews, Jesus, Levi, long life, Lord, loved ones, Mark, monastic life, obituaries, psalm, spirit, Spirit and life, tax collector, The Sophia Center for Spirituality

Having lived and ministered in the same area for 43 years I have come to know many individuals and families so I have made it a practice to read the obituaries each morning as a practice of remembrance and prayer. It seems lately that there are more long-lived people – centenarians even – who appear along with others tragically taken “before their time.” Often, when I read the entire entry of someone I recognize, I learn many things about lives that only touched mine as students or parishioners – interesting things about their occupations or other activities. The most common theme, regardless of age, is their love for their families and how their presence will be missed.

This morning the gospel of Mark continues the recitation of the call of the disciples but this time Jesus is not tapping fishermen for his followers but rather someone of unseemly credentials: the tax collector, Levi. It seems Jesus wants to prove a point, i.e. “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” As if that were not enough to ponder, the saint of the day is Antony of Egypt, a man who lived from the year 251 to 356! Yes, you read it correctly. He was 105 years old when he died in the 4th century! That’s certainly a good advertisement for the solitary life since Antony left the noisy, busy city life of Egypt for the desert around age 20 and is credited with much of early eremitic monastic development; many men (and women!) gathered in cells around Antony’s cave, influenced by his holiness.

Perhaps I’m stretching a point to think there is a connection in all this – long life or not, different occupations…but for me, it makes sense as I read this morning’s psalm refrain: Your words, O Lord, are Spirit and life!”  We all hear God’s word in a particular way and, if listening deeply, find it to be “living and active” (HEB 4:12). Whether it leads to a busy life or the silence of a cave, and whether we are given long life or just a few short years, the call is ours. It may grow in us slowly or take us by surprise but, once heard, it must be followed all the way home.

Climbing trees

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Christ, heart of faith, jealousy, Jesus, judgment, Luke, sinner, tax collector, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, zaccheus

When I was a child we lived near a park with some extraordinary trees – extraordinary because either their branches touched the ground and provided us with a cave-like playhouse or there were some low branches that allowed us to begin an exhilarating climb! These days all the branches of our extraordinary trees are too high for climbing so I just admire them from below.

In today’s gospel (LK 19:1-10) Zacchaeus, a short, wealthy tax collector, took the brave (some would call it foolish) step of climbing a tree in order to see Jesus who was passing through Jericho where Zacchaeus lived. There’s nothing indicating that Jesus knew Zacchaeus before this visit, but when Jesus looked up and saw him in the tree, he addressed him by name, saying, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Zacchaeus didn’t hesitate but descended swiftly and “received him with joy.” There wasn’t much joy in the crowd, however, as they grumbled about Jesus choosing to visit “a sinner” like their collector of taxes. It seems that there are three things to be aware of here: 1. the enthusiasm and quick response of Zacchaeus to the invitation of Jesus, 2. the very public choice of Zacchaeus by Jesus, 3. the jealousy and judgment of the other inhabitants of Jericho.

My questions are: 1. What am I willing to do in order to “see Jesus” today? 2. What am I willing to risk in public in order to follow the heart of my faith? 3. Am I judgmental and/or jealous at the good fortune of others depending on my assessment of their worthiness? Lots to think about here…