We know that God planned creation and everything goes according to the law of nature and that everything happens for a reason.
That being said, we can also see that everything is graced by God to fulfill His will.
More so for persons; as the 1st reading puts it: Each of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it.
In the gospel, we heard the call of St. Matthew when he was sitting by the customs house.
Yet, it sounded rather abrupt and sudden. There was Jesus, walking by and he saw Matthew sitting by the customs house and He told him to follow him and he got up and followed Jesus!
There seemed to be no dialogue, no discernment, no questions asked, nothing to indicate why Jesus chose to call Matthew and why Matthew got up immediately and followed Him.
But just as there is an order and a plan in creation, and everything happens for a reason, there was certainly a lot going on in St. Matthew before Jesus called him.
Being a tax collector, which already categorized him as a sinner and despised as an outcast and a traitor, God's grace in him was probably making him look at himself and asking questions about his life.
So when Jesus looked his way, the grace of God prompted him to get up and follow Jesus.
And St. Matthew went on to write a gospel that tells of the fulfillment of God's grace in the person of Jesus.
Yes, each of us has been given his share of grace, given as Christ as allotted it. What our mission is will be revealed to us along the way.
What we need to do now is to let God's grace act in us and to get up and follow Jesus, who came not to call the virtuous but sinners.
That being said, we can also see that everything is graced by God to fulfill His will.
More so for persons; as the 1st reading puts it: Each of us, however, has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it.
In the gospel, we heard the call of St. Matthew when he was sitting by the customs house.
Yet, it sounded rather abrupt and sudden. There was Jesus, walking by and he saw Matthew sitting by the customs house and He told him to follow him and he got up and followed Jesus!
There seemed to be no dialogue, no discernment, no questions asked, nothing to indicate why Jesus chose to call Matthew and why Matthew got up immediately and followed Him.
But just as there is an order and a plan in creation, and everything happens for a reason, there was certainly a lot going on in St. Matthew before Jesus called him.
Being a tax collector, which already categorized him as a sinner and despised as an outcast and a traitor, God's grace in him was probably making him look at himself and asking questions about his life.
So when Jesus looked his way, the grace of God prompted him to get up and follow Jesus.
And St. Matthew went on to write a gospel that tells of the fulfillment of God's grace in the person of Jesus.
Yes, each of us has been given his share of grace, given as Christ as allotted it. What our mission is will be revealed to us along the way.
What we need to do now is to let God's grace act in us and to get up and follow Jesus, who came not to call the virtuous but sinners.