Illuminations on the readings for the Feast of St. Matthew

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6

The feast of a church’s patron may be transferred from its usual date to the closest Sunday, so we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew, which normally falls on September 21, this Sunday in place of the 17th Sunday of Pentecost.

The readings chosen for this day reflect the tradition of Matthew as a tax collector elevated to apostle and evangelist. In our first reading, the Book of Proverbs advises us to keep God’s commandments and use them to guide our lives, If we do so, Proverbs assures us, we will be amply rewarded with a good life and good reputation.

Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40

The Psalmist’s message, a brief snippet drawn from the longest of all the psalms, echoes the Proverbs reading: Learn God’s laws and commandments and follow them faithfully. God’s way turns us away from what is worthless, we sing: God’s way gives life.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

The second letter of Timothy, one of several short pastoral epistles written by later followers in Paul’s name, offers guidance to a growing church. It mirrors the Psalmist’s call for unity in tradition, guided by Scripture. As you read or hear it, though, bear in mind that when it was written in the late first century or early second, the New Testament was not yet assembled into a book, and the Gospels had only recently been written down. “Scripture” meant the Old Testament, summarized in Torah’s command to love God, love our neighbor, and care for the poor and the alien.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19

Matthew’s Gospel portrays him as a tax collector, a position that would have made him roundly despised in ancient Israel. The tax collector preyed on his neighbors on behalf of the hated Roman empire. Nevertheless, when Jesus called him, Matthew followed … and then they sat down to dinner in Matthew’s house. Having mercy and calling sinners is Jesus’s way, not self-righteously looking down on those we consider beneath us.

Thoughts on the Lessons for the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Sept. 22, 2019. (The feast of the patron or title of a church may be observed on or transferred to a Sunday, except in the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter.)

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6

We celebrate the Feast of St. Matthew with readings chosen to reflect the tradition of the tax collector turned apostle and evangelist. In our first reading, the Book of Proverbs advises us to keep God’s commandments and use them to guide our lives, If we do so, Proverbs assures us, we will be amply rewarded with a good life and good reputation. This message, perhaps reminding us of Matthew’s conversion from hated tool of empire to faithful follower and recorder of Christ, is echoed in the day’s psalm and second reading.

Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40

The Psalmist’s message, drawn briefly from the longest of all the psalms, is similar and simple: Learn God’s laws and commandments and follow them faithfully. God’s way turns us away from what is worthless. God’s way gives life.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

The second letter of Timothy, one of the short pastoral epistles written in Paul’s name, offers guidance to a growing church. It mirrors the Psalmist’s call for unity in tradition guided by Scripture. But when you hear it, remember that in this early time, the New Testament was not yet assembled into a book, and the four Gospels were only then being written down. “Scripture” meant the Old Testament, with Torah’s command to love God, love our neighbor, and care for the poor and the alien. This is good advice in any age.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19

Matthew was a tax collector, a position that would have made him roundly despised in ancient Israel: The tax collector preyed on his neighbors on behalf of the hated Roman empire. But when Jesus called him, Matthew followed … and then they sat down to dinner in Matthew’s house. Having mercy and calling sinners is Jesus’s way, not self-righteously looking down on those we consider beneath us.

Thoughts on the Lessons for the Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, Sept. 21, 2018. (The feast of the patron or title of a church may be observed on or transferred to a Sunday, except in the seasons of Advent, Lent, and Easter.)

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6

Keep God’s commandments and use them to guide your life, and you will be amply rewarded with a good life and good reputation. We’ll hear this message from Proverbs echoed in the following readings. Follow these rules well, the Proverbs passage urges us – “wear them round your neck” – and God and your neighbors alike will think highly of you.

Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40

The longest of all the Psalms, Psalm 119 devotes its 176 verses to an extended celebration of love for God’s teaching, the Torah. The Psalmist calls us to be humble and generous, turning from selfish gain and“vanities” to follow God’s ways through life-giving righteousness. God teaches us to be just in our dealings with God and our neighbors, a simple rule that stands as a continuing theme through both testaments.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

In this passage we read an early Christian opinion similar to what we heard in the first two readings: Scripture, the sacred writings that we learn from childhood, provides a solid core for us to learn to live in righteousness. But here’s a twist: In Timothy’s time, the New Testament was not yet assembled into a book, and the four Gospels were only then being written down. “Scripture” meant the Old Testament, with its strong Torah command to love God, love our neighbor, and care for the poor and the alien.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19

Jesus had a bad reputation for hanging out with sinners, outcasts and people the authorities considered mighty suspicious: Prostitutes, drunks and lepers; women, foreigners, and maybe worst of all, tax collectors, those despised collaborators who extracted the Roman empire’s taxes from their neighbors. People like Matthew, who despite his outcast status as tax collecter hurried to follow Jesus … and invited him home for dinner. Jesus shows us how to love our neighbors – all of our neighbors – not just the ones who look and think like us.

Thoughts on Today’s Lessons for Sept. 21, 2014

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6

Consistent with the messages in the Psalm excerpt and Second Reading that follow, this little gem of wisdom literature gently encourages God’s people to follow God’s teaching and commandments. Follow these rules well – “wear them round your neck” – and God and your neighbors alike will think highly of you.

Psalm: Psalm 119:33-40

This, the longest of all the Psalms, devotes its 176 verses to an extended celebration of love for God’s teaching, the Torah. The Psalmist calls us to be humble and generous, turning from selfish gain and“vanities” to follow God’s ways through life-giving righteousness. God teaches us to be just in our dealings with God and our neighbors. This simple rule stands at the center of both testaments.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

One of the short “pastoral epistles” written in Paul’s name by a later follower, offers an early Christian view of the same idea that we hear addressed in the first two readings: Scripture, the sacred writings that we learn from childhood, provides a solid core for us to learn to live in righteousness.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19

Jesus had a bad reputation for hanging out with sinners, outcasts and people the authorities considered mighty suspicious: Prostitutes, drunks and lepers; women, foreigners, and maybe worst of all, tax collectors, those despised collaborators who extracted the Roman empire’s taxes from their neighbors. People like Matthew, who despite his outcast status as tax collecter hurried to follow Jesus … and invited him home for dinner. Jesus shows us how to love our neighbors – all of our neighbors – not just the ones who look and think like us.

Thoughts on the Lessons for Sunday, Sept. 23, 2012.

First Reading: Proverbs 3:1-6
Keep God’s commandments and use them to guide your life, and you will be amply rewarded with a good life and good reputation. It’s a message echoed in the psalm and second reading. (This is from what is known as “wisdom literature” and is popularly attributed to King Solomon.)

Psalm 119:33-40
The Psalmist’s message is similar and simple: Learn God’s laws and commandments and follow them faithfully. God’s way turns us away from what is worthless and gives life.

Second Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

Second Timothy, one of the short “pastoral epistles” written in Paul’s name, offers guidance to a growing church, echoing the Psalmist’s call for unity in tradition guided by Scripture. But here’s a twist: In Timothy’s time, the New Testament was not yet assembled into a book, and the four Gospels were only then being written down. “Scripture” meant the Old Testament, with its strong Torah command to love God, love our neighbor, and care for the poor and the alien. This is good advice in any age.

Gospel: Matthew 9:9-19
Matthew was a tax collector, a job that would have made him roundly despised in ancient Israel: The tax collector preyed on his neighbors on behalf of the hated Roman empire. Yet Jesus called him, and Matthew followed … and then they sat down to dinner in Matthew’s house. Having mercy and calling sinners is Jesus’s way, not self-righteously looking down on those we consider beneath us.