predication.net

When man began to use his reason, he always wanted to know, hear, and experience. Our time has reached such a stage of technology that we can have news from the opposite corner of the earth in a few minutes. In one area, however, we can see contrasts. We can see, hear, and experience something extraordinary in it, and we are not interested, although we are free and no obstacle stands in our way. It is an encounter with Jesus.

We often speak of Herod with contempt, yet in the Gospel, we are put to shame when the evangelist Luke writes that he wanted to see the Lord Jesus.

Herod, as ruler, learned about Jesus from several sources. Some informers and people surrounded him, so the reports about Jesus varied. Some considered the Lord Jesus to be John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded in prison when John’s head was demanded as a gift by the daughter of his illegitimate wife, Herodias.
Others believed that John the Baptist had risen from the dead. They also regarded Christ as Elijah, who likewise taught the nation and astonished them by the works of God done by his hands. Remember the sacrifice on the mountain when he struck down the priests of the god Baal, who numbered 450, and their sacrifice was not burnt, but his.
Others have said that Jesus is undoubtedly a prophet. He acted prudently; his deeds were extraordinary. He often pointed to repentance.
When Herod hears all this, he doesn’t know what to make of it. That John rose from the dead, he does not believe, but when he hears of Christ as a miracle worker when more than one report of his teachings reaches his ears, he wonders: Who then is he that I hear such things spoken of him?

We say of ourselves that we are believers. We have a reason; we have free will. But can we say of ourselves that we know who Jesus Christ is? Do we want to meet him? Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is God. He is the Redeemer and Savior of the world. The second divine person. Philosopher, sage, scholar, politician, revolutionary, humanitarian, etc. But neither answer quite captures the question: Who is Jesus Christ?

That is why we should try to know better the teachings of the Lord Jesus, to keep his commands, to take the time to encounter him when we read the Holy Scriptures, and when we celebrate Mass when we approach the sacraments.

It is a good sign when you feel, sister, brother, that Jesus is not a stranger in your life, but that you seek him, that you want to meet him often, that you have something to say to him in prayer, in contemplation, in meditation, in communion, in the family… Your attitude says that Christ is not only genuinely alive but that he is also alive in your life. It is lovely to feel that God is in my life!

St. Vincent de Paul speaks about his experience in an incident: he was already a priest when he arrived as an enslaved person in Tunis. Pirates captured the ship on which they were sailing. In the August heat, he was digging irrigation canals. He never made any secret of the fact that he was a priest. The master enslaved person hated him for that very reason. Vincent was once told by his fellow slave, a Frenchman, “This is hell!” And Vincent answered him: “No! Wherever God is, there is no hell. And God is here. God knows about us.” Vincent did not know why the Lord God had allowed this to happen to him, but he did not despair. He hadn’t lost his trust in the presence of God, not even when he had been wracked with fever-malaria for three months. Even then, he felt God within him. The bondage ends with the escape. He does not escape alone but with his enslaver, in whom, with the help of his wife, the Mohammedan Fatma, he awakens his conscience and confesses to Vincent that he, too, was a priest and also fell into slavery. Unlike Vincent, however, he could not bear slavery and betrayed God. After the death of his master, he confessed to Allah and became the owner of his estate. Vincent had his conscience reawakened, and he was accepted back into the Church in Avion.

Let us seek God! Let us not silence his voice within us! Even though we know that life with God is often nothing easy or pleasant, it is a fantastic prize, looking at eternal life.

And that is why it pays to take time typically to encounter Christ in the celebration of Mass, approach the sacraments, and pray.

Meaning of the name: a man of God (from Hebrew)

Attributes: book of the gospels, man, angel, sword, purse

Patron of bankers, taxi drivers

Matthew, a Greek icon
St. Matthew is one of the twelve apostles. His original name was Levi. He was a toll collector, that is, a tax collector or tax collector in the time of Jesus. He belonged to a group of people despised by the Jews, called public sinners (publicans). In addition to collecting customs duties, they “made a living” by stealing. Levi had his tax collector in Capernaum, where Jesus often made public appearances. It is likely, therefore, that he heard many of his discourses. On one occasion, just after Jesus had healed a sick man who had been lowered through the roof, Jesus saw him sitting at the toll booth, then He called him, and Levi immediately followed. When he was then criticized for eating and walking with sinners, he said: “It is not healthy who need a physician, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” And so Levi stayed with Jesus, never to leave him again. He became the Apostle Matthew and wrote the first of the four Gospels. This shows that he had a sense of higher things and was not totally immersed in money and matter.

What Matthew did and where he was after the death and resurrection of Jesus is not recorded in any authoritative source. Tradition has it that he preached the gospel in Persia, Parthia, Arabia, and Ethiopia. The date and place of his death are also unknown. Most writers say he died in Ethiopia and had him assassinated by the Ethiopian king Hyrtakus. This happened because Iphigenia, the king’s niece, had converted to Christianity due to Matthew’s preaching. She did not want to become the king’s wife because she had taken a vow of virginity. Thus, the king’s fury was turned against Matthew. Matthew’s remains were discovered in 1080 in Salerno in southern Italy. It is not known how they got there. They were placed in the temple that Pope Gregory VII had built there. The symbol of Matthew the Evangelist is the Book of the Gospels and the figure of a man because he begins his Gospel with the genealogy of Jesus Christ.

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Recently I had the opportunity to speak with a man who, among other incorrect remarks about the Church, said this: “The Church can give me nothing anymore. I have read the Holy Scriptures. When I was younger, I did mini-ministry, and they’ll bury me when I’m old and die.”

The Gospel tells how the Lord Jesus responded when his mother and close relatives sought him out.

Why have you come to Mass today? It is a working day. Do you not say similar to the man who, when he has time, wants to be near Jesus and seeks him out even on a weekday?
The Church is not just baptized brothers and sisters – that would be an understatement. The Church is a community that is constantly seeking Christ. And this even on an uncommented feast day.
The Gospel emphasizes this point to us in the words of the Lord Jesus, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice” (Lk 8:21).
With these words, Jesus points out that he not only does not send anyone away into himself, he does not despise anyone, but on the contrary – those who hear his word and keep it he exalts as his brothers and sisters and mothers. Thus we witness that a new spiritual family is to be born again and again—… not of flesh and blood, nor the will of man, but God. So we must realize that we Christians are united by something more than family obligations, friendship. The church is a community that receives the word of God and carries it out in love. In this way, it creates a spiritual framework in which all are connected or linked to Christ.

Many people often cannot find their place in the Church when they change residence. Some, therefore, fall away from God altogether. It is not because they have stopped believing, but it is a kind of internal affair. Conversely, others can walk several miles to their church.
After all, God is in every church where Mass is celebrated; the sacraments are administered, the Scriptures are read, and the sermon is read. The teachings of Christ unite us from Baptism, and we form a community of brothers and sisters – no matter if a stranger whom we do not know is standing next to us. Christ unites and unites us. We are, therefore, to have sincere joy. It is therefore necessary that, as far as possible, we create a genuine communion among ourselves so that we may feel good and, if feasible, transmit this atmosphere to those who stand around us. We can show this by our posture, our dignity, our handshakes, and last but not least, our singing.

We know the Virgin Mary was not angry with the Lord Jesus when He said these words. She must have felt how much her Son cared for all His listeners. Listening to the Word of God is not just a matter of habit or a remark that the parish priest will preach for a long time, but let that listening be the joy of each of us that we have come even closer to the Lord Jesus. We realize that this very moment is solemn and necessary.

The gentleman in the opening reflection was wrong when he said that the Holy Scriptures could give him nothing more. In so doing, he excludes himself from the fellowship of the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, when he dies one day, and even if a priest buries him, will it profit him since, in his lifetime, he has excluded himself from this communion?

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with a man who, among other incorrect remarks about the Church, said this: “The Church can give me nothing anymore. I have read the Holy Scriptures. When I was younger, I did mini-ministry, and they’ll bury me when I’m old and die.”

The Gospel tells how the Lord Jesus responded when his mother and close relatives sought him out.

Why have you come to Mass today? It is a working day. Do you not say similar to the man who, when he has time, wants to be near Jesus and seeks him out even on a weekday?
The Church is not just baptized brothers and sisters – that would be an understatement. The Church is a community that is constantly seeking Christ. And this even on an uncommented feast day.
The Gospel emphasizes this point to us in the words of the Lord Jesus, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice” (Lk 8:21).
With these words, Jesus points out that he not only does not send anyone away into himself, he does not despise anyone, but on the contrary – those who hear his word and keep it he exalts as his brothers and sisters and mothers. Thus, we witness that a new spiritual family is to be born again and again—… not of flesh and blood, nor the will of man, but God. So we must realize that we Christians are united by something more than family obligations, friendship. The church is a community that receives the word of God and carries it out in love. In this way, it creates a spiritual framework in which all are united or connected to Christ.

Many people often cannot find their place in the Church when they change residence. Some, therefore, fall away from God altogether. It is not because they have stopped believing, but it is a kind of internal affair. Conversely, others can walk several miles to their church.
After all, God is in every church where Mass is celebrated; the sacraments are administered, the Scriptures are read, and the sermon is read. The teachings of Christ unite us from Baptism, and we form a community of brothers and sisters – no matter if a stranger we do not know is standing next to us. Christ unites and unites us. We are, therefore, to have sincere joy. It is therefore necessary that, as far as possible, we create a genuine communion among ourselves so that we may feel good and, if feasible, transmit this atmosphere to those who stand around us. We can show this by our posture, our dignity, our handshakes, and last but not least, our singing.

We know the Virgin Mary was not angry with the Lord Jesus when He said these words. She must have felt how much her Son cared for all His listeners. Listening to the Word of God is not just a matter of habit or a remark that the parish priest will preach for a long time, but let that listening be the joy of each of us that we have come even closer to the Lord Jesus. We realize that this very moment is solemn and necessary.

The gentleman in the opening reflection was wrong when he said that the Holy Scriptures could give him nothing more. In so doing, he excludes himself from the fellowship of the brothers and sisters of the Lord Jesus. Therefore, when he dies one day, and even if a priest buries him, will it profit him since, in his lifetime, he has excluded himself from this communion?

The old folk wisdom could appreciate the small things that are essentially big and essential to life.

Surely you all know the fairy tale Salt over Gold. Only when there was no salt did the king realize it was worth more than gold, and his little daughter wished him well. Even the price of electricity can only be appreciated when we sit in the dark or by candlelight.

In the Gospel, too, the Lord Jesus asks his disciples, and therefore us, to be the world’s light. “No one lights a lamp and covers it with a vessel… but sets it on a lampstand…”(Lk 8:16).

What does this mean? But first, let us ask the question: How is it possible that Christianity, founded on the 12 apostles, which was a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles – has triumphed? When elections are held, how many programs, posters, and meetings are made beforehand?
What did the apostles have? Nothing! What did they promise? Deny thyself, if thine eye offends thee – pluck it out if thy hand – put it away! Love your enemies! Be humble and meek of heart.

But one thing they had was faith, for which they went to their death, tough love, and unity of mind. And so a handful of Christians became the salt of the earth and swept others away by their example to follow. This is the whole secret of the Christian victory over the heathen world.

The light of the world. If I were to ask you which Pope started and which finished the building of St. Peter’s, you probably wouldn’t know, and unless you are interested in history, you might not know either. But if I ask who St. Francis of Assisi, St. Don Bosco was, you will undoubtedly know. They and many like them were the world’s light by their life, love, and dedication. They showed what true and lived Christianity is. They led by their example how the world would change… what the world would be like – a world of justice, goodness, without war and hatred, if everyone lived the Gospel.

There is also much talk today about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She is, and indeed was, a great woman, awarded even the highest honor – the Nobel Peace Prize. With her are hundreds of other girls and women who have dedicated their lives to the poorest of the poor. Thousands of missionaries and hundreds of thousands of sisters in hospitals, orphanages, and various institutions also deserve our mention.
But let us not limit the injunction of an excellent example to spiritual persons, the Church, and Christianity. It is not only priests and nuns. It is all of us. Let us realize that if the world despises us if it looks at us with suspicion, if it ridicules us, it is certainly not because we pray and go to church, but above all, because we do not live as disciples of Christ, that we are often weathered salt and not the light of the world. Our faith and our life, our prayers and our works are diverging.

A young person came into the parish office.
– I would like to join the Church, – he says timidly. – I am without confession; I have never known the faith. However, I have lived with my wife for almost ten years, and she has shown me Christianity in her everyday life. When I was angry, she smiled at me; when unsure or worried, she said she would pray that the Lord God would help me. She can do that beautifully with children! She would tell me so simply:
– Boy, I’m not happy with you, and the Lord Jesus can’t be satisfied with that either.
– But you pray to God, and it always helps.
– This wife of mine is perfect, so I told myself that if she was like that, I could be better and happier through faith.

This is the world’s light that does not agitate but shows the life of faith. In adversity, even the price of salt is known. Our task is to make today’s gluttonous society see the cost of Christianity. To make our neighbors realize that to believe is not just to pray and sit in church all the time but to live joyfully and exceptionally well.

Let us show the world, as the early Christians once did to the Gentiles, the good news of the Gospel by our deeds, love, and goodness. This is our task, and in this will be our merit.

Brothers and sisters, you probably have a little library at home and should not be missing the Holy Scriptures. You have read many books, novels, and detective stories, but have you also read that book of books, the whole book, one by one, alone, or as a family together? Have you read the whole of the Holy Scriptures?

The Gospel speaks of a sower who went out to sow seed.

Christ also took this parable from life. Everyone knows this parable, and yet not everyone has fully understood what Christ meant to say.
Christ’s words are just as valid today as they were two thousand years ago and will be just as good until the world’s end. Many believe that the Holy Scriptures are no longer valid today. They refute its value; they attack some of its passages from various sides, yet they have understood nothing of what Christ, God, and the scribes meant to say. They want to explain the Scriptures, they want to be teachers of the Scriptures, and they don’t want to know the true meaning of the author of those words. We can compare the words of Holy Scripture to the grain of the Gospel. The role is our life. The grain is still the same. The terms of Holy Scripture are still the same; it depends on where the grain falls. It is up to us how we receive the words of Scripture.

Reading the Holy Scriptures is not an easy thing to do. Sometimes there are words you can interpret in many ways, and the next time you read them, you will notice that you missed the idea. You may tell yourself that everything in the Gospel is clear and that you don’t need an explanation.
And yet I would point out to you that there is also something deeply mysterious in it.

The first thing I would point out to you is that God’s voice can be unsuccessful. The older altar brethren remark, “I have found in my years of preaching that hearers can only choose what suits them, what answers their opinion and needs. We know many terrorists who pick only something out of the Scriptures, who recognize only what works for them.

They do not seek to let the seed fall into the fertile soil or heart. If that seed doesn’t suit them, they let it fall by the wayside. By doing so, they are only deceiving themselves. Why? Many have formed an idea of God in childhood, and if someone now disturbs it, they cannot defend themselves, even from themselves, so they let the enemies of Christ talk around them. If our religious feeling and education grew in proportion to our age, we would not be so quick to attack the Church and God in the presence of a Christian.

Others regard religion and God as romantic delusions. They say that this is how the world is today and that it can exist without God.
Someone remarked that the Gospel of Jesus is beautiful, but it strikes me as music from another world that one cannot dance to. It is. You can’t dance to the Gospel. The Gospel needs moral people, not whimsical people. That’s why the wheat falls into the thorns.

When we look at the world map, brothers and sisters, we find that God’s field is evergreen. Even today, the seed of the Gospel is finding fertile soil. It brings forth a harvest, and often, it amazes man that it is where we least expect it.
The Church is alive, bringing forth a harvest, and those who say it will perish must admit that they are wrong. The Church is still green and young, even if some of its members are disbelievers. It is bearing a harvest even though quantity is declining and quality is increasing.

Parents, Jesus is calling you too. If your children betray you, show all the more patiently! When you sow, do not immediately expect a harvest. Others will plant, and others will reap. I am convinced these last words will fall on the most fertile soil.

The seed of the Gospel of Christ is determined. The source has fallen. Christ has spoken. What soil am I? Let us take that dusty Holy Scripture, search it out, borrow it, and try to sow.

It’s Friday; we’re off work, made deadlines, cleaned up all the stuff on our desks, and made plans for the weekend. If I asked you now if you had a day of the week that you dread, I think there would be quite a few of you. Our lives are somehow linked to overcoming difficulties – sometimes minor, sometimes significant.

Today’s gospel stopped us at a toll booth. At that tollbooth, the phrase that took the breath away from many was uttered. Not so much for its content as for its addressee, “Follow me!” (Mt 9:9).
The toll-house – a place so shunned by the people. Again, not because of her alone, but because of those who stood by her. Because everything around us is not about things but people, about relationships, the toll-takers service was no longer a service but a tricky business that insulted human dignity. If we imagine the loot that the inhabitants of towns and villages had to suffer, we would not be inclined to accept this state of affairs. Jesus comes to this `stressful’ place. The Gospel does not say anything more about what happened there. It is strange because the bystanders were waiting to see how Jesus would treat Matthew. They were waiting for someone to tell him the truth to his face fearlessly – as only Jesus can. And indeed. Jesus did tell him the truth about himself, “Follow me!” For in those words was the truth of Matthew’s life. He was still going somewhere else. The path he was walking was leading him into isolation. The greed, the desire for control, the hard heart… never teach a man about freedom. So it was necessary to take a step back. To live without backstabbing, lying, and slavery.

The whole of today’s Gospel is a living testimony to the conversion of the Gospel writer himself. He told it to us, just as we witnessed many modifications today. But this is very brief, perhaps so we do not miss the essential point. “Follow me!” was a moment of liberation, touching God’s mercy. And it belongs not only to St. Matthew but also to us.

This Mass, too, is a call to turn and leave behind our tollbooth. Jesus wants to be a guest in your family, work, school, and especially with you. He longs for you to begin and end your day with him. You need to make a decision and let go of the tollbooth chair. I know the fear of uncertainty is great, but there is no uncertainty with God.

As a theologian, I have had the opportunity to explore many paths to a priestly vocation. Fewer and fewer traditional paths are emerging; most seminarians have been through challenging situations in life, struggling before they said “Yes” to God. One of them told his story, “I never wanted to be a priest. I took the faith traditions coldly. I was comfortable where I was. I planned to graduate and marry well. Everything was going well, but somewhere inside, there was a strange feeling. Like I was planning and swimming against the current. The girl was intelligent, both good and religious. My faith, too, was resurrected. But it wasn’t. And though I tried to convince myself of a good life choice, I didn’t escape. The `follow me!” was stronger. I prayed a lot, several rosaries a day. After a long time, I parted peacefully with the girl and found God’s peace.” So much for the testimony of the now priest.

God’s voice is not only for priests and consecrated ones. It is heard by everyone who truly wants to hear it. In the days ahead, let us listen to the silence in which Jesus speaks. Let us become his followers in the daily pursuit of good.