Saint Bede the Venerable, an English monk of the seventh and eighth century, said, “Jesus saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him.”
The tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as Jesus invited him. He joined a band of men whose leader had no riches at all.
Matthew immediately took Jesus into his home and arranged a party, inviting the only friends he had—other tax collectors and sinners.
As they sat at the banquet table, Pharisees pointed an accusing finger. But Jesus said, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark, 2:17).
Sharing a meal—breaking bread together—is one of the most intimate things we do as humans. When Jesus sat and ate with Matthew, it was a signal of his great mercy toward sinners, and an invitation to us to sit with him at the communion table.
Our prayer today:
Peter W. Yaremko, a former journalist, is the owner of Executive Media, Inc. and is a specialist in executive communications. He attends St. Peter the Apostle Church in Provincetown, Massachusetts and blogs at peterwyaremko.com/paradise_diaries.