hrist made Matthew
not only his disciple but also an apostle, and gave him authority not only
to preach but to write a gospel as well, so that, sharing a title with
the heavenly spirits, he is called, and is, an evangelist.September 21
Matthew, the apostle
hrist made Matthew
not only his disciple but also an apostle, and gave him authority not only
to preach but to write a gospel as well, so that, sharing a title with
the heavenly spirits, he is called, and is, an evangelist.
There were three reasons why the almighty and loving God chose to act in this way. The first was to show us how his omnipotence enables him to justify anyone, however, vicious, as quickly as he chooses. The second was to show us the immensity of his mercy, which even the most shameful sins can never exhaust. The third was to offer everyone, no matter how depraved, the hope of forgiveness.
But sinners, attend to this! It is not as a sinner that Matthew the tax collector's example is set before you, but as a penitent. Take care not to sin, but if you do sin, do not despair; for if you follow Matthew's example and admit your sin, you also can rise again through repentance.
| Augustine Day By Day | The Augustinians - St. Thomas of Villanova Province |
From John E. Rotelle, O.S.A., Tradition Day by Day: Readings from Church Writers. Augustinian Press. Villanova, PA, 1994.
HTML text prepared by David P. Steelman