It 21st September 2016. We celebrate the Feast day of St Matthew the Apostle and the Evangelist. The readings are from Ephesians 4:1-7; and the Gospel from Matthew 9:9-13. St. Matthew was called by Jesus for a life of loving others by accepting and recognizing him even though the world has rejected and despised him. Matthew means ‘the gift of Yahweh.’ His writings bring us closer to the merciful Heart of Jesus. St. Matthew is believed to have been martyred by stoning. He is the patron of all the bankers. Even if the entire world rejects us, Jesus will not reject us. Jesus chooses us to show and share His love to the rest of the world. It is our duty to pass on the love and mercy of Jesus. Vocation is a sheer gift from God. We are called by God to encourage, empower, enhance, enrich and enlighten ourselves as well as the others. It is not enough to live a good life for oneself only. On the contrary, having responded to the call, some of us have become more arrogant, selfish and individualistic destroying the harmony of God’s church. Our life must contribute for the welfare of someone to have a better connection with God and one another. St. Paul teaches us that we need to live up to the expectations of the vocation we have. “I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph.4:1). We can always build the body of Christ in unity and sharing the gifts, whether it is material or spiritual in nature, with the Church. The responsorial Psalm sings, “Their message goes out through all the earth.” (Ps.19:5). The Gospel once again calls us to serve Christ in mercy and charity. The passage from the gospel is the call of St. Matthew. He calls him from one extreme of life to His stream of life. However sinful one could be, still we need to help them find their vocation. Let us never give up hope on those who are difficult, and challenging persons. “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mt.9:13). Have a good day.