a year of prayer: 365 Rosaries

Today, September 21, we celebrate the feast of the feast of Saint Matthew, Disciple of Jesus, evangelist, reformed sinner, Gospel writer, and pillar of the early Church. While little is recorded in the New Testament regarding the life of Saint Matthew, scholars have placed him amongst the most important of the twelve, given the manner in which he is listed among them in Holy Scripture. What we do know is the circumstances of his calling, and his leaving of wealth and privilege to follow Christ.


Saint Matthew was a Jew who worked for the occupying Roman forces, collecting taxes from other Jews. The Romans were not scrupulous about what the "tax farmers" got for themselves, and many took advantage of their fellow countrymen. As a rule, tax collectors were not well respected or liked, and were viewed as traitors by most Jews. The Pharisees had publicly labeled them "sinners, and as such, it was shocking to them to hear Jesus call such a man to be one of his intimate followers.

9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.


10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"


12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9: 9-13)

The early life of Saint Matthew is less clear. The son of Alphaeus, Matthew lived at Capernaum on Lake Genesarth. He was of Galilean or Syrian descent. His life was apparently one of ease and comfort until he left his position as tax collector to follow Christ.
Saint Bede the Venerable said of Saint Matthew: “Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: Follow me.” Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense, but more significantly with his merciful understanding of men.” He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: “Follow me.” This following meant imitating the pattern of his life - not just walking after him. Saint John tells us: “Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” “And he rose and followed him.” There is no reason for surprise that the tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as the Lord commanded him. Nor should one be amazed that neglecting his wealth, he joined a band of men whose leader had, on Matthew’s assessment, no riches at all. Our Lord summoned Matthew by speaking to him in words. By an invisible, interior impulse flooding his mind with the light of grace, he instructed him to walk in his footsteps. In this way Matthew could understand that Christ, who was summoning him away from earthly possessions, had incorruptible treasures of heaven in his gift.”

Saint Eusebius says that Saint Matthew, like Saint John, wrote only out of necessity. He wrote: "For Matthew, after preaching to Hebrews, when about to go also to others, committed to writing in his native tongue the Gospel that bears his name; and so by his writing supplied, for those whom he was leaving, the loss of his presence." Following the death of Jesus, Matthew is credited with writing the first Gospel of Our Lord—and his Gospel is given pride of place in the canon of the New Testament. Composed in Aramaic (the “Hebrew tongue”), theologians assert that the Gospel of Matthew was written to convince Jewish readers that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus. He likely preached among the Jews for 15 years in Palestine, and possibly inaccurate Church legend informs that his audiences may have included the Jewish enclave in Ethiopia, and places in the East.
From the Golden Legend:

The Apostle St. Matthew evangelized Ethiopia, where he disclosed as agents of the Devil the various magicians who misled the King and the people. He resurrected the son of the King, and the admiring people wanted to adore him as a god. But St. Matthew did not permit it and used the gold and silver they brought in his homage to build a great church. He resided there under the protection of the sovereign for 33 years. The king’s daughter, St. Ephigenia [Feast day also September 21], consecrated herself to God and founded a convent where she was the superior of more than 200 virgins.


The King died, and his successor, Hirtacus, wanted to marry St. Ephigenia since he considered her the only woman worthy of him. The new King asked St. Matthew to convince the Princess to marry and promised him half of his kingdom if he should succeed. The Apostle told him to come to church on Sunday, and that there he would find a response to his request. The King hastened to comply, thinking that the Apostle would persuade Ephigenia to marry him. With the virgins and whole populace present, St. Matthew preached at great length on the excellence of the sacrament of marriage.


Hirtacus was pleased believing that the sermon would make Ephigenia consent to marriage with him. However, at a certain moment, St. Matthew said:


"Since marriage is good as long as the union is kept inviolate, all of you here present know that if a servant dared to usurp the king’s spouse, he would deserve not only the king’s anger, but death as a penalty."


Then he turned to the king and addressed him:


“So it is with you, O King! You know that Ephigenia has become the spouse of the Eternal King and is consecrated with the sacred veil. How can you take the spouse of One who is more powerful than you and make her your wife?”


Filled with rage and hatred, the King left the church. When the Mass was concluded, he sent a swordsman with the order to kill St. Matthew. Finding St. Matthew standing before the altar with his hands raised to Heaven in prayer, he stabbed the Apostle in the back, killing him and making him a martyr.


Learning of this, the indignant people ran to the royal palace to take revenge for that crime, but the priests restrained them and advised them to follow the funeral of the Saint instead. Hirtacus then had a huge fire ignited around the convent of St. Ephigenia to kill her and the virgins. But St. Matthew appeared to them and turned the fire away from the convent and towards the royal palace, which was completely consumed along with all in it. Only the King and his son managed to escape.


The Prince immediately ran to the tomb of St. Matthew confessing his father’s crimes and asking forgiveness. The King was stricken with a loathsome leprosy and took his life with his own sword. The people chose as king the brother of Ephigenia. He reigned for 70 years spreading the cult of Christ and building churches throughout Ethiopia.


Saint Matthew is regarded as a martyr, and venerated by the Church for his contributions to the foundation of the faith. We are reminded by the call of Saint Matthew that when we put on Christ, and follow Him, our old ways are made new, our sins are forgiven, and we are reborn into the light of His salvation. If Christ could call a tax collector to be His Disciple, we are filled with the hope that our salvation—however improbable it may seem based upon our wicked lives—is not only possible, but inevitable when we put our faith in the Lord, lift our gaze to Heaven, and center our lives in His love.



O Glorious Saint Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the new Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in his Church and to follow his teachings in our lives on earth so that we may live forever with him in heaven. Amen.

Today, April 5, we celebrate the feast day of Saint Vincent Ferrer (1350-1419), a tireless healer and builder of the Church. Born during the time of the great schism, when there was no clear pope, Saint Vincent first worked to heal the divide, and later, after a vision of Christ, traveled throughout the world converting thousands to the faith.


Below, an excerpt from his writings, “A Treatise on the Spiritual Life,” encouraging his readers to avoid falling into spiritual temptation and sin.


Chapter XII: Remedies against certain spiritual temptations


I shall teach you, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the remedies against certain spiritual temptations which are very common in these times, and which God permits for the purpose of purifying and testing His elect. And although they do not appear to attack faith directly, yet they who carefully examine them cannot fail to see that-they destroy the chief dogmas of religion, and set up the throne of Antichrist. I shall not explain what these temptations are, so as not to be an occasion of sin or scandal to any one; but I will show with what prudence you should act, in order not to be overcome by them.


These temptations, then, are of two kinds: the first is the suggestion of the devil, who causes man to fall and to estrange himself from God and the things that have reference to Him; the second is the corrupt teaching of certain persons, and the pernicious example of those who have already yielded to such temptations. I shall teach you how to comport yourself towards God and in all that relates to Him, that you may be secured against these temptations. 1 shall afterwards show you how you should act in regard to men, touching their doctrine and manner of life.


The first remedy against the spiritual temptations which the devil plants in the hearts of many persons in these unhappy times, is to have no desire to procure by prayer, meditation, or any other good work, what are called revelations, or spiritual experiences, beyond what happens in the ordinary course of things; such a desire of things which surpass the common order can have no other root or foundation but pride, presumption, a vain curiosity in what regards the things of God, and, in short, an exceedingly weak faith. It is to punish this evil desire that God abandons the soul, and permits it to fall into the illusions and temptations of the devil, who seduces it, and represents to it false visions and delusive revelations. Here we have the source of most of the spiritual temptations that prevail at the present time; temptations which the spirit of evil roots in the souls of those who may be called the precursors of Antichrist, as we shall see by what follows.


Be thoroughly persuaded, then, that true revelations, and the extraordinary means by which God's secrets are known, are not the result of the desire of which we have spoken, nor of any diligence or effort on the part of the soul itself; but that they are solely the effects of the pure goodness of God communicating itself to a soul filled with humility, who respectfully seeks for Him and sighs after Him with all its strength.


Nor ought we even to exercise ourselves in acts of humility, and in the fear of God, with a view to being favoured with visions, revelations, and extraordinary sensations; for this would be to fall into the very sins to which such desires lead.


The second remedy is to dispossess the soul when at prayer, of consolation, small though it be, if perchance you perceive that it engenders in your heart sentiments of presumption or of self-esteem. This would insensibly lead you to abuse what is termed honour and reputation, and would induce you to believe that you merit to be honoured and applauded in this world, and to have a share in the glory of heaven. The soul that attaches itself to these false consolations falls into very dangerous errors; for God justly permits the devil to have power to augment in it these kinds of spiritual tastes, to repeat them frequently, and to inspire it with sentiments that are false, dangerous, and full of illusions, but which the misguided soul imagines to be true.


Alas! how many souls have been seduced by these deceitful consolations? The majority of raptures and ecstacies [sic], or, to call them by their proper name, the frenzies of these forerunners of Antichrist spring from this cause. Hence, the only consolation you should admit into your soul in time of prayer, is that which is produced by the consciousness of your nothingness and misery; a consciousness which will preserve you in humility, and inspire you with profound reverence for the grandeur and majesty of God, and the desire that he may be honoured and glorified. Consolations such as these cannot mislead you.


The third remedy is to have - a horror of every thought and sentiment, however elevated they may be, which gives indications of a desire to penetrate into the secrets of God when you perceive that they are capable of wounding any article of faith or morals, especially if they are contrary to humility and purity, for, doubtless, such can come only from the devil. Pay no attention, therefore, to visions that afford no certainty that they are from God, or that they lead you to what is pleasing to Him.


The fourth remedy is not to attach yourself to any person, notwithstanding the apparent sanctity of his life, or the capabilities he possesses, when you have reason to doubt that his advice is not according to God, that it is not regulated by real prudence, that is not in harmony with what the law of God prescribes, or with what is proposed to us for imitation in the life of Jesus Christ and His saints, or taught us by the Holy Scriptures and the Fathers. Fear not to sin by pride or presumption when you despise such counsel, for such is due to zeal and to the love of truth.


The fifth remedy is to shun all intercourse and familiarity with those who sow broadcast, so to speak, the temptations of which I have spoken; with those who uphold or commend them. Neither listen to their words, nor be desirous to witness what they do; for the devil will avail himself of that curiosity to captivate you by the sublimity of their speech, and by their outward show of perfection, that you may thence be led to adopt their evil principles.


Chapter XIII: Remedies against false revelations


I shall further instruct you in the remedies to be adopted in regard to those who propagate, by their lives and teaching, the temptations to which I have referred above.


First, then, take little account of their visions, their extraordinary sensations, their ecstacies and raptures, and should they assert anything contrary to faith, Holy Scripture, and morals, despise their visions, look upon them as pure follies, and treat the ecstacies and raptures of such people as the results of a diseased imagination. If, however, their sentiments and language are in perfect accord with the dogma of religion, with what we are taught in the sacred writings, and there is nothing in them that is offensive to morality, then we must not despise them, for this would be to despise the things of God; yet it will be well not to entirely rely on them, since it frequently happens, and especially in spiritual temptations, that falsehood is concealed under the appearance of what is good and virtuous.


Often does the devil avail himself of these appearances in order to deceive, and diffuse more easily his fatal poison, when there is less reason to suspect him. I am of opinion that, on such occasions, it will be more pleasing to God not to pass judgment on these extraordinary matters, despite the appearance of truth with which they are clothed, and to leave them for what they are worth, unless they occur to persons whose probity, prudence, and humility, are so far beyond the reach of suspicion. that we have every reason to suppose that they can neither fall into illusion, nor be misled by the spirit of the devil. Even then, though we may approve of the visions and supernatural sentiments of such persons, it is not absolutely necessary to credit them on account of all these qualities which distinguish them, but only because of the conformity of these facts with Catholic faith, morals, the words, and teachings of the saints.


2. Let us suppose that you are interiorly led by some revelation or feeling, whatever it may be, to enter upon an important undertaking in which you have had no experience, and that you are uncertain as to whether or not it is pleasing to God; on the contrary, you have good reason for doubting it; in that case, take time to examine the act, weigh well all its circumstances; above all, see what its end is, in order to discover if it be agreeable to God. I do not, however, say that you may judge of it yourself; but apply to it, as far as is possible, the rules that are given to Christians in the Holy Scriptures, and in the lives of the saints whom you can imitate. I say, whom you can Imitate; for, according to the opinion of St. Gregory, there are saints some of whose examples should not be imitated, although they were good in relation to them, and which we must regard with respect and veneration. But, if you are unable of yourself to discover whether or not the thing you desire is pleasing to God, consult persons of approved learning and piety, who cannot be doubted; their advice will enable you to discover the truth.


3. If you are exempt from the temptations to which I have alluded, either because you have never experienced them, or because, having been tempted, you have happily been delivered from them, be careful to raise your heart and soul to God, and not to attribute to your own strength, your wisdom, your merits, and the regularity of your life what you owe simply to the grace and pure goodness of God, to Whom you ought continually to render humble acts of thanksgiving. Do not imagine that you were delivered from these temptations by mere chance. According to the teaching of the saints, it is chiefly with a view to punish such thoughts that God withdraws His grace from man, and permits him to yield to the temptations of the devil, and to be miserably deceived by the spirit of lies.


4. Never be influenced by your own will to take in hand any important matter to which you are unaccustomed, while you are actually under these sort of temptations, which place you in doubt; but repress the desires of your heart, waiting with humility, fear, and respect, till God shall enlighten you by His divine light. For acts begun under such circumstances could hardly be expected to lead to any good result. I speak here only of such acts as are of importance, and out of the common run, which should never be undertaken while we are in a state of temptation and doubt.


5. If, on the other hand, you have begun some good work before being assailed by this temptation, let it not prevent you from fulfilling it; especially omit not prayer, confession, communion, the fasts and acts of humility which you are wont to perform, although you may find neither sweetness nor consolation in them.


6. When troubled with these temptations, raise up your heart and soul to God, humbly beseeching Him to turn them to His greater glory, and to your salvation, supporting the temptations as long as it shall please Him, and imploring Him to grant you grace never to offend Him.

Today, February 16, we celebrate the feast of Saint Juliana of Cumae (also known as Juliana of Nicomedia, died 305), virgin and martyr of the Church. Saint Juliana became widely venerated in Medieval times, with epic poems written about her battle and eventual victory over the Devil. Her Acts, recorded by the Venerable Saint Bede, and detailed in the Golden Legend, are thought to be Holy Legend, although like most Holy Legend, remain inspirational today.

Juliana was born in Cumae, Italy, the daughter of a pagan official named Africanus. Betrothed at a young age to a nobleman named Evilase, Juliana refused to marry until he first became the prefect of Nicomedia. While he was working to meet this demand—which he eventually did—Juliana converted to Christianity, and made a vow of chastity. She then insisted that Evilase convert as well prior to marriage. Of course, as a Roman prefect, this was not something he was able to do and maintain his position and status.

Juliana’s father, who himself despised Christians, beat and abused her in attempts to change her mind, but she would not relent, holding firm to her faith in Christ. Evilase, now well established as prefect, called Juliana before the tribunal, and denounced her as a Christian. As this was during the persecution of Christians under the order of Emperor Maximianus, there was little choice than to have her executed unless she would recant her faith. Of course, Juliana refused, finding her refuge in the Lord, and was subjected to horrible torture.

From the poem, “Juliana,” written by the English poet Cynewulf, we learn that during this torture, the Devil, disguised as an angel from Heaven, appeared to her and suggested she give in to the torturer’s request:

“Then suddenly came into the prison the Enemy of mankind, skilled in evil; and he had the form of an angel. Wise was he in afflictions, this enemy of the soul, this captain of Hell, and unto the holy maid he said, “Why sufferest thou who art most dear and precious unto the King of glory, our God ? This judge hath prepared for thee the worst tortures, torment without end, if thou wilt not prudently sacrifice and make propitiation unto his gods. Be thou in haste when he bids thee be led outward hence, that thou make a sacrifice, an offering of victory, before that death come upon thee, death in the presence of the warriors. In this wise shalt thou survive the anger of this judge, O blessed maid!””

Juliana is not to be fooled by the snares of the Devil, and prays to the Lord for guidance. In return, she receives a message from God:

“Then unto her spake a glorious voice from the clouds and uttered this word: “Do thou seize this vile one and hold him fast, till that he rightly declare unto thee his purpose, even from the beginning what his kinship may be.” And the heart of the glorious maid was glad; and she seized upon that devil.”

Juliana captures the Devil, holding fast to him, and forces him to recount his sinfulness.  As he recounts a very long list of deceit and trickery,  Juliana is dragged before the tribunal.  She drags the Devil with her—he, all the while, pleading for freedom:

“I entreat thee, gracious Juliana, by the grace of God, that thou work upon me no further insult or reproach before men than thou hast already done, when thou overcamest the wisest in the prison shades, the king of the dwellers in Hell, in the city of fiends, who is our father, the lord of death. Behold thou hast afflicted me with painful blows, and in truth I know that, before or since, never did I meet in the kingdoms of the world a woman like unto thee, of more courageous heart, or more perverse, of all the race of women. Clear is it to me that thou wouldst be in all things unashamed in thy wise heart.”

Juliana let the Devil go, and he embarrassedly returned to Hell. Juliana, for her part, bravely met her executioner. Per her Acts, she was first partially burnt in flames, then plunged into a pot of boiling oil, and finally beheaded.

While Saint Juliana was martyred in Nicomedia, her relics were translated to Cumae, the place of her birth, where they were first enshrined. In the thirteenth century, her relics were again translated, this time to Naples, Italy, where they are venerated today.

Saint Juliana bravely battled the Devil, in the same manner we battle temptations every day. In the case of her legend, Satan appeared to her in the guise of a heavenly angel, encouraging her to accept the things of the world as Godly and perfect, rather than renouncing temptation and focusing on the Lord. In much the same way, we all too often fall victim to the Devil’s snare, placing great importance on earthly temptations and desires at the expense of our relationship with God. When Juliana wasn’t convinced, she prayed, called upon the Lord, who answered her prayer and opened her eyes to the Devil’s trickery. Today’s holy saint reminds us to be vigilant and to keep our eyes firmly fixed on the Lord—from whom our help and salvation comes!


Lord God,
You gave St. Juliana the crown of
eternal joy because she gave her life
rather than renounce the virginity she
had promised in witness to Christ.
Encouraged by her generosity, help us to
rise out of the bondage of our earthly
desires and attain to the glory of your
kingdom. Grant this through our Lord
Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit.
One God, for ever and ever.
Amen.


The Golden Legend: The Life of Saint Juliana


Here followeth the Life of Saint Juliana, and first the interpretation of her name.


Juliana is as much to say as burning plainly, for she burnt herself against the temptation of the devil which would have deceived her, and she helped many others to believe in the faith of our Lord Jesu Christ.




On the morn the provost commanded that Saint Juliana should be brought tofore him in judgment; and when he saw her so well guerished, and her visage so fair and so shining, then said the provost to her: Juliana, who hath taught thee, and how mayest thou vanquish the torments? And she said: Hearken to me and I shall say to thee: My Lord Jesu Christ hath taught me to adore the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, for I have overcome and vanquished Satan thy father, and all his other devils; for God hath sent his angel for to comfort and to help me. Mechant man, knowest thou not that the torments be made ready for thee everlasting, where thou shalt be tormented perpetually in a perpetual darkness and obscurity. Anon the provost made to be brought a wheel of iron between two pillars, and four horses to draw it forth, and four knights at one side, and four knights on that other to draw, and four for to draw forth the wheel, so that all the body was tobroken in such wise that the marrow came out of the bones, and the wheel was all bloody. Then came an angel of God and brake the wheel, and healed the wounds of Saint Juliana perfectly. And for this miracle were converted all they that were present. And anon after, for the faith of Jesu Christ were beheaded men and women to the number of one hundred and thirty persons. After, commanded the provost that she should be put in a great pot full of boiling lead, and when she entered into the said pot, all the lead became cold, so that she felt no harm. And the provost cursed his gods because they might not punish a maid that so vanquished them. And then he commanded to smite off her head. And when she was led to be beheaded, the devil appeared to the provost in figure of a young man, and said: Spare not good people, and of her have no mercy, for she hath blamed your gods and done much harm, and me she hath beaten this night past, therefore render to her that she hath deserved. With these words Saint Juliana looked behind her for to wit who said such words of her. Anon the devil said: Alas! alas ! caitiff that I am, I doubt me that yet she will take and bind me, and so he vanished away. After this, that she had admonished the people to love and serve Jesu Christ she prayed them all to pray for her, and then her head was smitten off. The provost entered into a ship with thirty-four men for to pass an arm of the sea; anon came a great orage and a tempest, which drowned the provost and all his company in the sea, and the sea threw their bodies to the rivage, and wild beasts came thither and ate them.  Let us pray to her that she pray for us.




Year 2: Day 47 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Courageous and steadfast avoidance of sin and temptation.
Requested Intentions: Financial freedom (J); Successful passing of occupational examination (S); Healing and conversion, sale of house (L); Occupational success for employee and colleagues (J); Employment for a son (C); Successful attainment of an important appointed position (J); Recovery from cancer for a friend (Z); For a family’s freedom from sin (M); For a daughter with Diabetes (A); Reconciliation of a marriage (D); Assistance with a legal matter, financial freedom (R); Healing for a friend (M); For a son in medical school (H); Financial assistance (M); Successful employment (N): Freedom from mental illness for a friend (L); For successful marriage (N); For friends having and recovering from surgery; for the reduction of a brain tumor (L); For resolution of a housing crisis (P); For a brother who is struggling financially, for a son who is struggling academically (B); For financial security for a friend (C); Success in business; familial happiness and health (J); Health and recovery of a sister (I); Healing of a father following stroke (S).

Today, September 21, we celebrate the feast of the feast of Saint Matthew, Disciple of Jesus, evangelist, reformed sinner, Gospel writer, and pillar of the early Church. While little is recorded in the New Testament regarding the life of Saint Matthew, scholars have placed him amongst the most important of the twelve, given the manner in which he is listed among them in Holy Scripture. What we do know is the circumstances of his calling, and his leaving of wealth and privilege to follow Christ.


Saint Matthew was a Jew who worked for the occupying Roman forces, collecting taxes from other Jews. The Romans were not scrupulous about what the "tax farmers" got for themselves, and many took advantage of their fellow countrymen. As a rule, tax collectors were not well respected or liked, and were viewed as traitors by most Jews. The Pharisees had publicly labeled them "sinners, and as such, it was shocking to them to hear Jesus call such a man to be one of his intimate followers.

9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.


10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"


12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." (Matthew 9: 9-13)

The early life of Saint Matthew is less clear. The son of Alphaeus, Matthew lived at Capernaum on Lake Genesarth. He was of Galilean or Syrian descent. His life was apparently one of ease and comfort until he left his position as tax collector to follow Christ.
Saint Bede the Venerable said of Saint Matthew: “Jesus saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: Follow me.” Jesus saw Matthew, not merely in the usual sense, but more significantly with his merciful understanding of men.” He saw the tax collector and, because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him, he said to him: “Follow me.” This following meant imitating the pattern of his life - not just walking after him. Saint John tells us: “Whoever says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” “And he rose and followed him.” There is no reason for surprise that the tax collector abandoned earthly wealth as soon as the Lord commanded him. Nor should one be amazed that neglecting his wealth, he joined a band of men whose leader had, on Matthew’s assessment, no riches at all. Our Lord summoned Matthew by speaking to him in words. By an invisible, interior impulse flooding his mind with the light of grace, he instructed him to walk in his footsteps. In this way Matthew could understand that Christ, who was summoning him away from earthly possessions, had incorruptible treasures of heaven in his gift.”

Saint Eusebius says that Saint Matthew, like Saint John, wrote only out of necessity. He wrote: "For Matthew, after preaching to Hebrews, when about to go also to others, committed to writing in his native tongue the Gospel that bears his name; and so by his writing supplied, for those whom he was leaving, the loss of his presence." Following the death of Jesus, Matthew is credited with writing the first Gospel of Our Lord—and his Gospel is given pride of place in the canon of the New Testament. Composed in Aramaic (the “Hebrew tongue”), theologians assert that the Gospel of Matthew was written to convince Jewish readers that their anticipated Messiah had come in the person of Jesus. He likely preached among the Jews for 15 years in Palestine, and possibly inaccurate Church legend informs that his audiences may have included the Jewish enclave in Ethiopia, and places in the East.
From the Golden Legend:

The Apostle St. Matthew evangelized Ethiopia, where he disclosed as agents of the Devil the various magicians who misled the King and the people. He resurrected the son of the King, and the admiring people wanted to adore him as a god. But St. Matthew did not permit it and used the gold and silver they brought in his homage to build a great church. He resided there under the protection of the sovereign for 33 years. The king’s daughter, St. Ephigenia [Feast day also September 21], consecrated herself to God and founded a convent where she was the superior of more than 200 virgins.


The King died, and his successor, Hirtacus, wanted to marry St. Ephigenia since he considered her the only woman worthy of him. The new King asked St. Matthew to convince the Princess to marry and promised him half of his kingdom if he should succeed. The Apostle told him to come to church on Sunday, and that there he would find a response to his request. The King hastened to comply, thinking that the Apostle would persuade Ephigenia to marry him. With the virgins and whole populace present, St. Matthew preached at great length on the excellence of the sacrament of marriage.


Hirtacus was pleased believing that the sermon would make Ephigenia consent to marriage with him. However, at a certain moment, St. Matthew said:


"Since marriage is good as long as the union is kept inviolate, all of you here present know that if a servant dared to usurp the king’s spouse, he would deserve not only the king’s anger, but death as a penalty."


Then he turned to the king and addressed him:


“So it is with you, O King! You know that Ephigenia has become the spouse of the Eternal King and is consecrated with the sacred veil. How can you take the spouse of One who is more powerful than you and make her your wife?”


Filled with rage and hatred, the King left the church. When the Mass was concluded, he sent a swordsman with the order to kill St. Matthew. Finding St. Matthew standing before the altar with his hands raised to Heaven in prayer, he stabbed the Apostle in the back, killing him and making him a martyr.


Learning of this, the indignant people ran to the royal palace to take revenge for that crime, but the priests restrained them and advised them to follow the funeral of the Saint instead. Hirtacus then had a huge fire ignited around the convent of St. Ephigenia to kill her and the virgins. But St. Matthew appeared to them and turned the fire away from the convent and towards the royal palace, which was completely consumed along with all in it. Only the King and his son managed to escape.


The Prince immediately ran to the tomb of St. Matthew confessing his father’s crimes and asking forgiveness. The King was stricken with a loathsome leprosy and took his life with his own sword. The people chose as king the brother of Ephigenia. He reigned for 70 years spreading the cult of Christ and building churches throughout Ethiopia.


Saint Matthew is regarded as a martyr, and venerated by the Church for his contributions to the foundation of the faith. We are reminded by the call of Saint Matthew that when we put on Christ, and follow Him, our old ways are made new, our sins are forgiven, and we are reborn into the light of His salvation. If Christ could call a tax collector to be His Disciple, we are filled with the hope that our salvation—however improbable it may seem based upon our wicked lives—is not only possible, but inevitable when we put our faith in the Lord, lift our gaze to Heaven, and center our lives in His love.



O Glorious Saint Matthew, in your Gospel you portray Jesus as the longed-for Messiah who fulfilled the Prophets of the Old Covenant and as the new Lawgiver who founded a Church of the New Covenant. Obtain for us the grace to see Jesus living in his Church and to follow his teachings in our lives on earth so that we may live forever with him in heaven. Amen.






Inspired by the origins and spiritual history of the Holy Rosary, we continue our meditation on the psalms, one each day, in order, for 150 days.

Psalm: Psalm 149: Invitation to Glorify the Lord with Song and Sword

1 Praise the LORD.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints rejoice in this honor
and sing for joy on their beds.
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths
and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations
and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters,
their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them.
This is the glory of all his saints.
Praise the LORD.



Day 264 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Lives centered on the Lord; Strength to turn from sin.
Requested Intentions: Restoration of a relationship (H); For successful employment (I); For a daughter’s successful relationship (M); For a relationship sanctified by God (M); For health of father; For canonization of Pope John Paul II (A); For the conversion of a family (L); For the ill (A); For the health of a family (I); For a father’s successful surgery and recovery (G); For those who are ill, and their caretakers (D); For the safety of a sister who is traveling (A); Recovery of mother with cancer (R); Successful acquisition of a visa (T); Restoration of a marriage (A); For employment and health of mother (G); Successful employment (M); Restoration of a family, End to brother's addiction, Successful marriage (R); Employment (I); Successful recovery of a mother; for all stroke victims (D); Successful return to the faith (A); Emotional, physical, and financial healing (D); Diagnosis and recovery (A); For a successful relationship (J); Those suffering from depression (J); Successful adoption (S); Healing of a father battling cancer (S).
Psalm: Psalm 149: Invitation to Glorify the Lord with Song and Sword