Before
his conversion, Matthew was a Jew who worked as a tax collector for the
Romans. It was while Matthew was working at a tax collector’s bench in
the custom house of Capernaum that Jesus passing by called him saying,
“Follow me.” In his own account of himself, the Evangelist writes, “And
he rose up and followed him.”
Jewish
tax collectors were generally hated by their fellow Jews, and were
considered sinners by the Pharisees. When they discovered Jesus’ choice
of followers, they were scandalized, and questioned Him. “I did not come
to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:12b-13), Jesus said to
them.
After the death and resurrection of Our Lord, Matthew went
on to evangelize and authored the first Gospel. It is uncertain whether
he died a natural death or as a martyr.
Monday, September 21, 2020
St. Matthew the Evangelist
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