From Tax Collector to Preacher of the Gospel

On this Friday, the first day of fall, the Church honors and remembers St. Matthew the Evangelist. Here is the story of his call:

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax-collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax-collectors and sinners?’ But when he heard this, he said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.’ (Mt. 9: 9-13).

 
And so Matthew’s life with Jesus started. He went from being a despised tax collector to someone who proclaimed the Good News of Jesus, a message of forgiveness and reconciliation. We hear that same message today as we proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Jesus has come to call sinners; that’s you and me.

 

Let us pray: We thank you, heavenly Father, for the witness of your apostle and evangelist Matthew to the Gospel of your Son our Savior; and we pray that, after his example, we may with ready wills and hearts obey the calling of our Lord to follow him; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

CALENDAR REMIDNERS

The Adult Christian Education Series: Lord, Teach Us To Pray: Six Studies on the Lord’s Prayer from the Kerygma Series. We started the study this Sunday, and it was wonderful! Please join Jillian Bain on Sundays at 11:00 a.m. and Tammie Taylor on Mondays.

The Fourth Annual St. Augustine Art Show begins this week. The judging will take place during the week, and the show is open to the public starting this Saturday, 22 September, at 6:00 p.m. with a reception. We have a record 103 entries!

St. Vincent’s Day Celebration at St. Vincent’s House on 29 September 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

Blessing of the Animals for St. Francis Day, Saturday, 13 October 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Cross on the lawn in front of Sutton Hall.

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List, and especially the family of Anne Ladner who died this week and whose funeral will be on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Grace Episcopal in Houston.

Your servant in Christ,

 
Fr. Chester J. Makowski+
St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church
Galveston, Texas 77550