Called to Reflect His Greatness (Feast of St Matthew, September 21)

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When I see a lamb, I am moved to reflect on TENDERNESS (by nature, a lamb is tender). When I see a dove gliding in the sky, I think about BEAUTY. When I look at myself and the entire created order, I see reflections of a BEAUTY and GLORY beyond all telling: THE BEAUTY AND GLORY OF GOD. The entire creation has one message: TO PROCLAIM THE GLORY OF GOD. Yes, it is a calling that we can’t resist or avoid. We are ever called to reflect the beauty and glory of God. This is the message that the Psalmist (cf. Psalm 19:2-3.4-5) is proclaiming today as we celebrate the feast of St Matthew, the evangelist.

Aware of this towering task, the task of reflecting God’s glory, St Paul teaches (in Eph. 4:1-7.11-13) that God has given each of us different gifts and graces: all in service of that common task of proclaiming His wonders and greatness. Some God has made prophets, some evangelists, some teachers, some pastors, some nurses, and so on: each working and building up the body of Christ to the greater glory of God. 

It is not only human beings that are called to this task. Other creatures at different spheres of life are also called to proclaim the beauty, wonders, greatness and glory of God. The bird chirping at dawn sings the greatness of God. The old woman putting her hand to the spindle lends her voice to that sonorous proclamation of God’s wonders. The moving waters flap in exultation of God’s magnitude. The mountains uniquely reveal His greatness. The doctor who patiently attends to his patients announces it aloud. From every form and state of life, there are clear and powerful pointers to God’s awesomeness and impressiveness. 

Sometimes, the mistake we may make is to think that a certain form of qualification is needed for us to consciously get ourselves involved in this very task of spreading the fragrance of God’s glory and greatness everywhere. If God considers what we consider (whether we are worthy or not), He would not have allowed people like Matthew (a renowned tax collector and sinner) to reflect His glory. If God’s thoughts were our thoughts, people like Mary Magdalene would not have made it. If God’s ways were the ways of men, Paul would not have dreamt of climbing the ladder of apostolic and evangelistic excellence. If God’s benchmarks are those of men, you and I might not have been created in the first place.

Jesus does not see a sinner when he looks at us. He sees potential saints. In the Gospel description of Jesus’ encounter with Matthew, we are told that Jesus saw A MAN CALLED MATTHEW “SITTING AT THE TAX OFFICE”. He didn’t say that He saw “a sinner”. He described him as someone “sitting at the tax office”. He called him from where he is to where he is supposed to be. No matter how morally decadent my life may be, Jesus continues to invite me to follow Him, to move from where I am to where I am supposed to be. It is very consoling to know that He came for you and me: when He looks at and thinks about us, HE SEES HOPE EVEN WHEN THE WORLD SEES HOPELESSNESS.            



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