Feast September 21
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.
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