Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Matthew 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.”” 

The Gospel of the Lord.

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He said to him, “Follow me.”

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Saint Matthew had some idea of who Jesus was the day Jesus called him. By then, talk was circulating around town about Jesus, the miracle worker.

It was understandable that when Jesus invited Matthew to follow him, he’d jump at the chance. Matthew must’ve felt special; chosen.

But he had no idea that day what was in store for him: that his heart would be transformed; that he’d see Jesus crucified then raised from the dead; or that he’d help to change the world by bringing the Gospel to Ethiopia, where he’d eventually be martyred.

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All that Matthew knew that day was that Jesus of Nazareth was calling him by name. 

It’s all Matthew needed to know. It’s probably all he could bear to know.

That’s all we need to know, too: God is with us today. 

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I’m sure looking back over our lives, there would’ve been times when we would’ve leapt for joy had we knew our future, and other times when we would’ve shrieked in fear had we seen “tomorrow.”

This is why the Lord draws our focus to today, as we so often pray: “Give us this day our daily bread.”

Whatever God has given us to do today, may we do it all.

Saint Matthew, pray for us.

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Image credits: (1) The Calling of St. Matthew, Caravaggio (2) Ibid. (3) Active Christianity, YouTube 3:16

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Gospel: Matthew 9: 1-8

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
“This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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“Take courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

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As nice as that sounds – the forgiveness of sins – the scribes don’t seem to care. All they see is a man paralyzed, lying on a stretcher! 

If Jesus is the miracle worker he claims to be, then why not heal the paralyzed man’s body?

The scribes only see what many do – that which is physical.

But Jesus sees beneath the surface. He sees this man’s soul – not only the goodness within him, but also the times and places where he’s fallen short and remains in need of God’s forgiveness. 

The day will come when this man’s body, although miraculously healed today, is placed in the earth. But his soul – freshly purified by Christ – will live forever.

That’s the greatest miracle, a miracle that Christ promises to all who believe in him – eternal life.

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While it’s a beautiful thing to heal a person’s body, Christ the Teacher draws us deeper, encouraging us to remember what matters most – not our physical, but our spiritual, life.

Is there any part of my life that remains paralyzed by sin and needs to be healed?

It could be a particular fear, memory, or habit.

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We place these things before Jesus, asking him to say to us what he once said to that man:

“Take courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”

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Image credits: (1) LetterPile (2) St. Paul University Iloilo (3) Archdiocese of Malta

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Gospel: Matthew 8:28-34

When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.

The Gospel of the Lord.

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From a Jewish perspective, this might be the most ritually impure scene in all of the Gospels.

There are demons, dead bodies, and pigs, all present in Gentile territory, the sworn enemies of the Jews.

Why would Jesus lead his followers into such a dark and filthy place?

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By entering into “forbidden” territory, Jesus reveals concern for everyone.

While the Jews held a very exclusive idea of God – he belonged only to the ritually pure, Jesus reveals that God is the Good Shepherd, who seeks out all of his creation, even those who are lost in the darkness. 

Then Jesus reveals the depths of this power.

He not only has the ability to still stormy seas or to heal leprosy; he also has power over evil. “If you drive us out,” the demons say to him in today’s Gospel, “then send us into the herd of swine.”

“And he said to them, ‘Go then!’”

And off they went.

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So, what does this mean for us?

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Jesus is not afraid of any area of our life, even parts of ourselves that, at times, we may want to hide. 

Unlike the villagers in the Gospel, who begged the Lord to leave, may we embrace the Lord, allowing him to cast out what doesn’t belong to Him, to heal us, and to set us free.

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Image credits: (1) Mary-Medium (2) Christian Art (3) PngTree