THE VOCATION YOU HAVE RECEIVED
It is surprising that the evangelist Matthew summarizes the story of his call in just a couple of lines: “When Jesus left there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax table and said to him: “Follow me!” He got up and followed him” (Mt 9,9). It is evidently not his intention to recount in detail all of his personal experience, but rather to focus the reader's attention on what happened immediately after his call, while Jesus ate in his house, accompanied by others. tax collectors. The fact of joining with sinners raised a protest from the Pharisees whom Jesus rebuked with the following words: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
By calling Matthew, Jesus adds a publican, a sinner, to his group of disciples. His decision is not based on appearances or social prejudice, but on the generous heart of someone who was willing to leave all his comforts to follow him.
The words that Paul writes to the Ephesians are clear in this sense:
"To each one of us grace has been granted according to the gifts of Christ... He himself arranged that some should be apostles, others prophets, others evangelizers, others pastors and teachers” (Eph 4,7.11).
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