St Ignatius Parish

10^th Sunday of Ordinary Time ~ 8 June, 2008

What kind of man is Matthew? A rich man, who has made himself rich by exploiting his own in collecting taxes for the enemy'; something like a spy, or worse. He's judged by his own people to be a sinner, unclean, a man to be avoided at all costs. And yet, I suppose a conscientious man, who does his job extremely thoroughly. But he's certainly been judged and dismissed by his own people.

How does Jesus see him? I suppose the story of the Gospel tells it all. Jesus calls Matthew from his work, which is also the place of his sin, the place which makes him 'unclean'. But this is the place where he meets Jesus him heart to heart, where Matthew's life will change irrevocably, where he will be able to give over all his anxieties and worldly ambition, be able to live without them all and become a companion with Jesus on a journey towards the heart of God.

Recently I was re-reading some of Carlo Carretto's works. He was talking of contemplation. For us, contemplation is gazing of God. No, says Carlo, it is when we allow God to gaze on us. We are like a blackboard, waiting for the white chalk to write, and then the blackboard can say anything, depending on what the white chalk does.

So I reckon this helps me to understand what happens here with Matthew. He simply allows the white chalk of God to begin writing, and he then tells a different story.

So where are we in all this? Looking at the scene, are we among those who have judged and condemned? Are we among the friends of Matthew, who then rejoice? Do we allow ourselves to be gazed on by God, and allow God to write on our blackboard?