Week of September 21 - 27

Saint Matthew the Apostle

Seasonal Marian Hymn - Salve Regina

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St. Michael's Lent Countdown:

The Feast of St. Matthew

Here is today's Divine Office:

Divine Office for September 21

And, the Mass readings:

Mass Readings for September 21

Happy Feast Day!

From Butler's Lives of Saints:

One day, as Our Lord was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw, sitting at the receipt of custom, Matthew the publican, whose business it was to collect the taxes from the people for their Roman masters. Jesus said to him, "Follow Me;'' and leaving all, Matthew arose and followed Him.

Now the publicans were abhorred by the Jews as enemies of their country, outcasts, and notorious sinners, who enriched themselves by extortion and fraud. No Pharisee would sit with one at table. Our Savior alone had compassion for them. So St. Matthew made a great feast, to which he invited Jesus and His disciples, with a number of these publicans, who henceforth began eagerly to listen to Him.

It was then, in answer to the murmurs of the Pharisees, that He said, "They that are in health need not the physician. I have not come to call the just, but sinners to penance."

After the Ascension, St. Matthew remained some years in Judaea, and there wrote his gospel, to teach his countrymen that Jesus was their true Lord and King, foretold by the prophets. St. Matthew afterward preached the Faith far and wide, and is said to have finished his course in Parthia.

Reflection:

Obey all inspirations of Our Lord as promptly as St. Matthew, who, at a single word, “ laid down," says St. Bridget, "the heavy burden of the world to put on the light and sweet yoke of Christ.”

Simple ways to celebrate the Feast:

• ​Go to Mass​
• ​Pray the Divine Office​
• ​Read parts of the Gospel of Matthew. Some well-known passages from this Gospel are:
  • the genealogy of Jesus (Mt. 1:1-17)
  • the Nativity of Jesus Christ (Mt. 1: 18-25)
  • The Baptism of Jesus (Mt. 3:13-17)
  • The Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5: 1-12)
  • Miracles of Jesus (Healings and Calming the Storm) (Chapters 8 and 9)
  • The Call of Matthew (Mt. 9: 9-13)
  • Parables (Chapter 13)
  • The Death of John the Baptist (Mt. 14: 3-12)
  • The Feeding of 5000 (Mt. 14: 31-21)
  • Jesus walks on water (Mt. 14: 22-33)
  • The Transfiguration (Mt. 17: 1-8)
  • The Rich Young Man (Mt. 19: 16-30)
  • The Workers in the Vineyard (Mt. 20: 1-16)
  • Beginning of Holy Week (Chapter 21)
  • Judas' Betrayal, The Last Supper, and Peter's Denial (Chapter 26)
  • Pilate Sentences Jesus and the Crucifixion (Chapter 27)
  • The Resurrection of Jesus (Chapter 28)
• Pray for your accountant! (St. Matthew is the patron of accountants, bankers, bookkeepers, currency exchanges, customs officers, security guards, stock brokers, tax collectors)

St. Matthew, pray for us!

See you on the 23rd for St. Padre Pio's Feast Day!

To Jesus through Mary,

Alexandra

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