Wednesday, September 21, 2005

When you get angry with a bishop...

...try turning to Saint Matthew.

Matthew. Creepy tax collector, turned disciple, turned apostle, turned evangelist, turned martyr, turned saint.

Maybe his conversion wasn't as spectacular as, say, Saint Paul's. There was no "blinding light," no thundering words, no drama.

Just two words: "Follow me."

But, as the priest at today's Mass reminded us, Matthew wasn't a mindless robot. In today's Gospel, (Mt 9:9-13) written by this same man, inspired by God, we learn that Matthew did more than follow Christ. He invited his fellow tax collectors and sinners to his house for a meal, to come and "sit with Jesus and His disciples."

He invited sinners like him and like me and perhaps even like you to expose themselves to God made man. And then trusted Jesus do the rest.

Frustrated with a bishop? Scandalized by his words or behavior?

We can rant. We can rave. Perhaps sometimes we should do so.

But we can also ask for Saint Matthew to intercede on this bishop's behalf.

And we can also imitate Matthew by simply leading our fellow sinners to the presence of Christ...and then trust Jesus to do the rest.