September 21st - St. Matthew By: Vanessa Jijo

Saint Matthew was a tax collector before he followed Jesus and became one of the 12 disciples. From Matthew, we know of the many doings of Christ and the message Christ spread of salvation for all people who come to God through Him. The Gospel mentions the story about the dinner Matthew organized with Jesus. We are all familiar with how the tax collectors asked Jesus why He was dining with sinners. This is when Jesus said, “Those who 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.”
 His book is the first of the four Gospels in the New Testament. It is thought he departed for other lands to escape persecution sometime after 42 AD. According to various legends, he fled to Parthia and Persia, or Ethiopia. Nothing is recorded of Matthew's passing. It’s not known how he died, if his death was natural, or if he was martyred. Saint Mathew is the patron saint of bankers.

INTERCESSORY PRAYER

O Glorious St. Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in His Church and to follow His teaching in our lives on Earth so that we may live forever with Him in heaven, amen.