The business man and customs collector of Capernaum.

Matthew is also known as Levi in the Gospels.

Saint Matthew was the son of Alphaeus. Is one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. As one of the four.

Matthew as a tax collector who, while sitting at the "receipt of custom" in Capernaum, was called to follow Jesus.

He said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he got up and followed him”. There was no hesitancy. In an instant, the tax collector’s life changed.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

Therefore, I, the prisoner of Christ,

 This saintly pagan must definitely serve as a model for us, Christians.

The Roman official, he respected the religious traditions of the Jews,

and provided them with a synagogue….

This saintly pagan must definitely serve as a model for us, Christians.

He is confident in the word of Jesus. He is confident that Jesus can heal.

I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

 

 

St. Cornelius, pope/ St. Cyprian, bishop, martyrs

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33

To continue with my advice,

 “In our challenging tiles, it is vital to learn the art of honest conversations,

dialogue, communal discernment, consensus building,

and walking together as pilgrims toward the direction

that the Lord indicates through the signs of the times.”

                                                              

                                                       Fr. Mathew Vattamattam, CMF Superior General
                                                                             Congregation of Missionaries,

 

St. Andrew Kim Taegón, priest & martyrs/ St. Paul Chong Hasang & companions, martyrs

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊      

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

Well, then,

 

Isaiah “Suffering Servant Songs.”

It is the prophecies about Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

He did the Father’s will salvation for humanity.

Through his action, Christ proved his love for us.

The servant’s suffering at the hands of his enemies.

In the LORD’s court of opinion, the servant is righteous.

God’s help is the source of their confidence and hope in the midst of suffering. 

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Isaiah 50:5-9a

The Lord Yahweh

 Here lies the big difference: the Pharisee pays more attention to the perfume and hair.

Jesus pays more attention to the tears. He sees remorse and longing for renewal.

The Pharisee reads the woman’s gesture as seduction; Jesus reads it as begging for God’s forgiveness and love.

Forgiveness brings peace; it heals the wounded heart and restores the broken relationship.

She was reconnected back to her God and restored to a new “life.”

 

St. Januarius, bishop and martyr

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 15:1-11*

Let me remind you,

 “Who, though in the form of God, emptied himself, taking the form of a slave.

This is the glory of the Cross of Jesus!” (Pope Francis)

“Being Christian”, “is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event”.

God wants to enter into a relationship of love with everyone. This is offered in His Son, Jesus, lifted up on the Cross.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Numbers 21:4b-9

The people were discouraged

 Both John and Jesus could be described as children of Wisdom,

whose origin is God himself.

Those who can see the hand of God in the lives of John and Jesus are also children of Wisdom.

Those who adamantly refuse to see God are not.

we become its children when we actively promote justice, love and peace,

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13

Be that as it may,

 John was born in 347 in Antioch.

John died on 407, on his way to his place of exile.

In the Western Church, he is invoked as one of the Four Greek Doctors..

The following are examples of some of his more trenchant sayings:

-Do you wish to honour the body of Christ? Do not ignore him when he is naked.

Do not pay him homage in the temple clad in silk, only then to neglect him outside where he is cold and ill-clad. He who said:

“This is my body” is the same who said: “You saw me hungry and you gave me no food”,

and “Whatever you did to the least of my brothers you did also to me…”

What good is it if the Eucharistic table is overloaded with golden chalices when your brother is dying of hunger?

Start by satisfying his hunger and then with what is left you may adorn the altar as well.

  

St. John Chrysostom, bishop & doctor

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22b-27

Because I cannot boast of announcing the Gospel:

 Nain is a small town in the far south of the district of Galilee,

maybe two days from Capernaum.

God’s creative love embraces and is within all creation;

God has profound knowledge and “feeling” of all creatures’ pain and suffering.

He now looks like a man of sorrows.

He alone sees Her pain and decides to comfort her.

 

St. Robert Bellarmine, bishop & doctor/ St. Hildegard of Bingen, virgin & doctor

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31a

As the body is one,

 Jesus says:
Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you;

pray for those who mistreat you. Here is totally beyond our capacity.

Probably the most difficult of all to do: “Love your enemies and do good to them.”

To weaken the enemy in ourselves, we have to know it, own it, and outgrow it.

Befriending and outgrowing the bad side of ourselves make us whole and confident against any destruction.

   

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13

Regarding meat