De publican apostle. That was the transformation that Jesus Christ acted in a man named Matthew, also known as Levi, whose feast we celebrate today. I must confess that the first figure this apostle and evangelist intrigues me greatly, not least because we can clearly see in him the man of today who live away from God. Matthew was a publican. The publicans were tax collectors for the Republic, to the Roman Empire. The State relied them through contract, the whole revenue system, supplies, payments and contributions. And there were those who had the monopoly of economic power. Easily abused this power charging more than they should, accumulated great wealth and the law would protect them, leaving people defenseless against his abuses. Therefore, and because they served the invading empire, were hated and considered public sinners. His friends (or rather, the people who gathered) were also public sinners.
Matthew's world was the world, the other "sir" that prevents serve the Lord, riches and pleasures, power and ambition. Live a godly life for nothing and all licentious. Is not this the image of modern man, alienated from God, but called, like Matthew to a new life that he can not even imagine? Matthew
not belong to the guild of fishermen, among whom the Lord had chosen his first apostles, people working and humble. We find it easier to understand the choice of these men suffered from the sea. But Matthew?, Is this "employee" of the "service industry" who gathered with other "workers" as he and women also offered their "services"?
The man now lives, as Matthew lived a life mired in materialistic and hedonistic, with no other horizon than the "more and more of the same" and no other hope than that provided by nihilism, or despair. Man today is also at the table, like Matthew, that is, ensconced in his world, thinking that "your world" is "everybody." Is excluded from the Kingdom of God, thinking - or trying to think - that there just are called good. He laughs sadly of living of those living what he, with fear and doubt always hidden, considered a utopia.
But that Matthew, publican of Capernaum and many "Mateos today, received the unexpected call of Jesus Christ. The Lord calls he loves and chooses his apostles from among the sinners. Is the event that disturbs them completely, remove them absolutely the chair in which they are installed.
"Follow me." The Word of Christ's creative and redemptive God resonates within them, it creates a new heart. So Matthew got up immediately and followed him. Because he found someone to call you personally, knowing that even depraved life, I trusted him. And someone so he can not fail: just met with his Savior.
Same happened to another of the same trade, who lived in Jericho and had a name similar to yours: Zacchaeus. It also experienced a personal call from God.
Christ Jesus is calling people today to a life that has no clue, to eternal life. Ask a San Mateo, with so much noise around us, we listen, addressed to us, the same word that he became an apostle of collector: "Follow me."
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