St Matthew the Evangelist.
On the 12th day of the Coptic month of Baba we celebrate the Life of Saint Matthew the Disciple of Christ.
Matthew, whose former name was Levi, was one of the Twelve Disciples. He was the one seated, collecting taxes, outside the city of Capernaum, when the Lord Christ said to him, "Follow Me." He left all, rose up, and followed Him. He made for Jesus Christ a great feast in his own house. That made the Pharisees murmur against Him saying to His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:27-32)
He preached in the land of Palestine, Tyre and Sidon. And later to Ethiopia. He entered the city of priests and converted them to the knowledge of Jesus Christ. When he wished to enter the city, he met a young man who told him, "You will not be able to go in unless you shave the hair off your head and carry palm branches in your hand." He did as the young man told him. And, as he was thinking about that, the Lord Christ appeared to him in the form of the young man who had met him earlier, and after He encouraged and comforted him, disappeared. He realized that this young man was the Lord of Glory Himself.
He then entered the city as one of its priests. He went to the temple of Apollo and found the high priest Hermes, and talked with him concerning the idols that they were worshipping. He explained how those idols did not hear or sense anything and how the true Mighty Lord is He who created the Heaven and Earth. Then the Lord made through him a wonder: a table came down from Heaven and a great light shone around them. When Hermes the priest saw this wonder, he asked him, "What is the name of your God?" The apostle replied, "My God is the Lord Christ." Hermes believed in Christ and many people followed him.
When the Governor of that city heard of this, he ordered them burned. It happened at that time that the son of the Governor died. Matthew the Apostle prayed and made supplications to God to raise the son and the Lord answered him and raised the child from death. When the Governor saw this, he and the rest of the people of the city believed. Matthew baptized them, ordained a bishop, priests, and built a church for them.
After he had preached in other countries, he went back to Jerusalem. Some of the Jews which he had preached to, believed and had been baptized, asked him to write down what he had preached to them. He wrote the beginning of the Gospel attributed to him in the Hebrew language but he did not complete it. It was said that he finished it during his preaching in India, in the first year of the reign of Claudius and the ninth year of the Ascension. His martyrdom was consummated by stoning at the hands of Justus the Governor. His body was buried in Carthage of Caesarea by some believers, in a holy place.
Lessons from this story
The word gospel means “good news”. And like any good news, you want to share it. Christians share a bond that includes the sharing of this “good news” - that there is a Father who loves you so deeply, He accepts you as you are and calls for your return.
A tax collector is probably the most despised person among us. The exist like parasites feeding off the hard work of others. The word “hate” is often associated with this contemptible lot. But Christ came for him just as He come for the sinful woman Mary.
A recurring theme among all the lives of saints is this call by God the Father, to “follow me” as Christ said to Levi. We celebrate their lives, the salvation not as spectators at a game, but as active participants. The good news is for us, for all, and serve an important role in getting that news out there.
Prayer
May the prayers and intercessions of Saint Matthew the Evangelist be with us all always,...