The Matthew doctrine

THIS is about our dear old Saint Matthew whose feast we celebrate on September 21.

That day is also the anniversary of the imposition of martial law in our country -- but believe me, the feast of Saint Matthew holds far greater importance and relevance to all of us than that controversial part of our history.

I feel we need to recover the significance of this saint whose life and example can truly edify all of us who, immersed in this world, can hardly remain squeaky clean, what with all the moral dirt and pollution around.

The doctrine about Saint Matthew is about what we need most urgently now. We should find a way to learn it well. We have corruption and dishonesty around us? This doctrine can help us in fighting these evils.

Saint Matthew was one of the apostles of our Lord. He was also one of the evangelists, in fact, the first of those divinely inspired writers in the order found in the New Testament as we know it.

But before all these, he was a tax collector. In the culture of his time, really not much different from what we have now, he was deemed a sinner, one of those you should not be seen with if you want to keep a good name.

But then, as the gospel narrates, our Lord happened to pass by his worktable and said, "Follow me," and surprise of surprises, Matthew just got up and followed Christ.

The Gospel narrative ends with the beautiful, very reassuring divine words: "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick… I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners." (Mt 9,12-13)

Every time I read this Gospel I cannot help but clearly understand that Christ must be so madly in love with us that he calls us irrespective of our current situation and incompatibility with his standard.

Also, that whatever may be our situation, no matter how difficult it may be, like Matthew we can also get up and follow Christ -- we have the capacity to follow him.

This, of course, is due first of all to God's grace. But that supernatural, gratuitous grace finds some human basis on the fact we are spiritual beings also, not just material.

As such, we have the capacity, human as we are, to transcend and go beyond the limitations of our material, natural and human condition. We even have the capacity, with grace, to get out of our sinful condition.

This is the main element of what may be considered as the Matthew doctrine. God calls us always and in whatever condition we may be in, and we too have the capacity, in spite of our limitations, weaknesses, mistakes, to correspond.
It's a doctrine that can truly fill us with joy and optimism. There is really no reason to fall into despair or skepticism, especially if we consider precisely that divine reassurance: "It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick."

Presumed in this doctrine is that Christ waits for us in our ordinary activities, be it sacred or profane, celestial or mundane. He calls us and expects us to follow him.

We simply have to learn how to find Christ in our work, in our ordinary duties of each moment. This is not mere wishful thinking, not fantasy. It is something we truly need.

We talk a lot today about a fiscal crisis that can be the effect of many things: mismanagement, incompetence, corruption, dishonesty. But if we just know how to deal with Christ in our daily activities, I'm sure this crisis will not be that bad, if it has to come.

Dealing with Christ and following him means obeying his commandments, knowing well his doctrine, ever developing the virtues, constantly waging an ascetical struggle, frequenting the sacraments, not being afraid of sacrifices.

This presumes that we study our stuff well, ever improving our competence, since godliness and honesty can only prosper on the ground of proper human qualities and skills.