Today September 21

Today is the glorious feast of St. Matthew (First century), patron of all those who work in the financial field (including IRS agents . . . naturally) and especially those who have financial problems, which includes most of us at one time or another. Turn to him, St. Matthew, who was good with money but who put it in its place -- both when he left it to follow Jesus and when he used it to put on a feast for "sinners" and for Jesus and His disciples. While the other gospels do put in his common title of "tax-gatherer," Matthew himself calls himself Matthew the publican. He knew how such men were despised. They supported themselves by overcharging on the hated Roman taxes (as they were not paid a salary) and there was no limit set on what they might charge. A man could easily become the victim of greed in such a position. But Matthew immediately got up, leaving behind all his coins and his accounts, and was honored to follow the One, whose miracles may have preceded this encounter, and whose "hidden divinity shone even in his human face, [and] could draw men to him the first time they saw him." - St. Jerome. All of which leads me to put forth my hypothesis (God forgive me) that Jesus in his human body more resembled the smoldering and masculine -- even almost severe -- appearance found in Eastern mosaics and paintings and less the soft, white and almost emasculated appearance found in Western portraiture. I think men spontaneously admired (or envied) Him, and women fell in love with Him. Of course, I could be wrong. I guess we'll all find out in the next life.

So, what of Matthew after Pentecost? One source puts him in Ethiopia, where he evangelized and served the Church there and where he was martyred in church right after Mass when he was making his thanksgiving.

Although we don't have any "originals" of any of the Gospels, presumably they once must have existed. I especially like this statement in The Golden Legend, "Matthew's gospel, written by his own hand, was discovered about AD 500 with the bones of St. Barnabas. St. Barnabas carried this gospel with him and placed it on sick persons, and it instantly cured the illness, as much by Barnabas's faith as by Matthew's merit." Take it for what it's worth. St. Matthew, pray for us.