September 21 Feast of saint Matthew
The apostle Matthew has two names in the gospels: Matthew and Levi. Since only the name Matthew is entered in the gospel lists of the 12 apostles, it is commonly held that this his name was Levi until Jesus called him to be a disciple, then he was called which means 'gift of God' in Aramaic.
The apostle Matthew has two names in the gospels: Matthew and Levi. Since only the name Matthew is entered in the gospel lists of the 12 apostles, it is commonly held that this his name was Levi until Jesus called him to be a disciple, then he was called which means 'gift of God' in Aramaic.
Mark and Luke record that Levi, the son of Alphaeus, was sitting in the tax office when the Lord called him. Being a Jewish tax caollector for the Romans meant Matthew was considered impure and socially unacceptable by the Jewish commnunity. Jesus himself was rebuked for eating with tax collectors and sinners.
After Pentecost, Matthew worked in the church made up mostly of Jews who believed thah Jesus was the Saviour. The gospel bearing his name was composed around AD 85 and was written for Jewish-Christians. In it, is shown as the fulfillment of God's Old Testament promises of a Messiah. Tradition holds that after the Resurrection, Matthew preached in Ethopia, where he was martyred. He is the parton of customs officers and accountants.
天主聖三，我們感謝你將教宗若望保祿二世，賜給教會，使他彰顯天父的慈愛、基督十字架的光榮，及聖神愛的光輝。他完全信賴你的無限仁慈，及聖母瑪利亞慈母般的轉求。他給予我們耶穌善牧的生動肖像，並為我們指出成聖是基督信徒日常生活的必然本分，又是通往與你永恆共融的道路。請你因教宗若望保祿二世的轉求，依照你的旨意，賜給我們所需的恩寵。願他早日被列入諸聖的名冊。亞孟。
