Sermon for The Commemoration of St. Matthew, 2025

Matthew admits that he was nothing more than a dishonest, sinful man. What’s interesting, however, is that St. Luke, in his gospel account, notes that when Jesus called Matthew, he left all, rose up, and followed Jesus. Matthew doesn’t include that detail, that he left all; all he says is that he arose and followed Him. Now, why would Luke, whose account is based on eyewitness testimony, include such a detail when Matthew, who was actually, personally there, does not? One would think it should be the other way around. Perhaps it was out of humility that Matthew left out such a detail, focusing, instead, on the mercy and call of Jesus. Indeed, maybe that’s why Luke, whose account was set down later, provides this detail. As if to say, “You know, Matthew didn’t say this of himself, and yet his following of Jesus cost him everything: a lucrative career, his comforts, and his sinful ways; he left all to follow the Lord.” Because, of course, that’s what Jesus meant when He said, “Follow Me.” He wasn’t just saying, “Follow Me over here, I want to show you something,” He was saying, “Follow Me, Matthew, and My ways. Leave behind your ways; stop following yourself.” “Follow Me,” said Jesus, calling Matthew out of sin and into life. 

And so, Beloved, does Jesus call out to you as well. “Follow Me,” He says. And what He means is, “Leave your sinful ways behind, whatever they may be, whether public sins like Matthew’s, or secret ones, whether they be sins of thought, word, or deed, whether they be occasional missteps in one area, or habitual weaknesses in another; whatever they may be, leave them all behind. Follow Me.”

Readings:

• Old Testament: Ezekiel 2:8–3:11

• Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-16

• Holy Gospel: Matthew 9:9-13

Sermon: