From Tax Collector to Apostle: Embracing God’s Unexpected Call to Redemption

God calls you where you are.

For the Apostle Matthew, he was a publican (a tax collector).

What emotions come up when you think of an IRS agent?

What about tax season?

“Unfortunately, you owe X dollars this year?”

Now, imagine if God publicly called a person  to be in his inner circle of twelve??

A man whose job it was to take your hard-earned money and collect it for a corrupt government.

It might stir up resentment, confusion, or dismay to mention a few of a thousand emotions that would likely be going through your mind.

But God’s ways are often mysterious and it may take time before we realize the plan He has for others and ourselves.

I can’t even begin to fully understand what some of Jesus’ early followers thought when he died and later named Matthew to be an apostle.

An unworthy tax collector. Money-hungry, an agent of the Roman Empire. That’s who Jesus called to follow him 2000 years ago.

Now, the name Matthew translates as “Gift from God”. His conversion is certainly a blessing along with his account of Jesus’ life in his Gospel.

No matter where you’re at in life, God will meet you.

You just have to be open to His call. 🙏

P.S. How has God worked in your life in an  unexpected and merciful way?

P.P.S. Here’s a Holy Haiku I created inspired by the witness of the evangelist-apostle.

Enjoy!

Related Links

3 Similarities I Share with my Namesake— Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew (Apostle and Evangelist)

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Jesus’ Post-Resurrection Miracle: The Symbolism of Grilled Fish in John 21:1-14

bacon


Editor’s Note: Post originally published May 9th, 2017.


Whenever someone utters the words “breakfast” and “Sunday mornings” together, I immediately picture sizzling bacon, fresh orange juice, crisp toast covered in butter or jelly, and chocolate covered, glazed, or cake donuts. Besides the old adage that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, the reason I bring this topic up is because I was reading through John’s Gospel and I came across a peculiar event that I never truly paid attention to—Jesus grilling!

The Symbolism of Jesus Grilling Fish: A Deeper Look at John 21:1-14

According to John 21:1-14, Jesus appeared to the apostles at the Sea of Tiberias and he is watching them fish. Whether the fourth gospel writer intended to or not I think it is interesting that the miracle of the great catch of fish mirrors a similar miraculous haul in Luke 5:1-11. In John’s version, Peter and the other disciples do not initially recognize Jesus, while in Luke’s account, Jesus had already chosen the apostles.

I believe Jesus’ post-Resurrection miracle in John is a perfected version of the Lucan fish phenomenon because according to Luke 5:6 the apostles nets started to tear in contrast to John 21:11 which states, “So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn.”

Upon the apostles arrival at the shore, Jesus says, “Come, have breakfast (John 21:12). With these words the apostles recognized the identity of Jesus. Along with the fish, Jesus took the bread and gave it to them as well. Together with the Emmaus episode in Luke 24:13-35 the taking of bread is a sign of the celebration of the Eucharist!

jesus grilling

The Meaning of the 153 Fish Caught

Upon rereading the previous verses about the 153 fish caught, I discovered that this number represents the apostles’ universal mission, according to commentary. St. Jerome claimed that Greek zoologists catalogued 153 species of fish, and John uses fish to symbolize men. This realization highlights our calling to bring lapsed Catholics and non-Catholics to Christ. The apostles’ catch of 153 fish represents bringing all types of men to Jesus. We can only partake of the Eucharistic food after we reconcile with the rest of humanity. Like the apostles we’re invited to a morning meal (in the form of the Mass) with Jesus after their symbolic haul of humanity.

God appears to us in peculiar ways so the next time I am eating breakfast on Sunday morning, maybe I will suggest grilled fish to my wife [we recently bought an outdoor grill]! Be always open to God’s plan no matter how fishy it sounds…or smells.

Related Links

Agape Love and Breakfast With Jesus

Jesus and Mary Talk about the Role of Peter Before Dinner

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How Catholics are like Fishhooks!

fish hook

According to the 20th century Scottish novelist John Buchan, The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.” During this first week of Easter I ponder the hope, Jesus infused into the Apostles upon his return. After the apparent defeat on Good Friday, his followers returned to their “day jobs” as fishermen (cf John 21:3). That day began without much hope— they caught nothing after several hours! Appearing at the Sea of Tiberius, Jesus, not yet recognized by the disciples, gave the following advice, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something” (John 21:6). This resulted in the fulfillment of their hope— an overabundance of fish!

Hope in the Hauling

Jesus begin his ministry in Matthew 4:19 with a similar promise of hope— “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Originally, piscators by trade, Christ transforms the Apostles work from a mere day job to a new way of life! After his Resurrection, the first command Jesus gave to the Apostles occurred in Matthew 28:19.  Jesus commanded, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Thus, God makes it clear that EVERYONE is called to hear the good news of his Resurrection! I know this may sound clichĂ©, but the example of Peter, James, and John being called by Jesus to become fishers of men is an extremely appropriate and ever applicable way to speak of how we should spread the faith!

While not an expert in fishing, I have a couple family members who fish for a living. A few years ago, my family and I went fishing with my father-in-law. While a lot of things are necessary for fishing, I will highlight only two things that directly apply to evangelization— patience and fishhooks.

Wait for the Big Haul

Patience in Fishing

First, patience is essential to fishing especially when we went because it took over thirty minutes before we caught anything. The same is true for spreading our faith. We must wait and lead others to Christ on God’s time. God is not giving commission-based raises on how many converts we pull in, rather I image God wants us to patiently wait for the right people to be placed in our life that need our help or hooking to lead them to the Catholic Church.

Along with the virtue of patience, fishermen require a fishhook. Without that barbed instrument on the end of the line it would be nearly impossible to hook and capture a fish. Likewise, I tend to see Jesus’ command to be fishers of men (see Matthew 4:19) in a more nuanced way, namely, that we should be the hook that captures people and keeps them on God’s line.

Imagine the greatest evangelists in the history of the Catholic Church: St. Paul, St. Augustine, St. Francis of Assisi. What did they all have in common? They all suffered from a “barbed past”. Paul murdered Christians. Augustine suffered from sex addiction. Francis came from a miserable family. A fishhook is designed to be sharp and curved at the end to hook a fish’s gums. Similarly, God uses saints with a “barbed” past help Him reel in new people into the Catholic Church.

Catch Everyone!

My challenge to you, my readers, is this: if you sense that God has placed certain people in your life to evangelize to please do not be afraid to do so. The best witness to evangelize our faith is to hear from people that have suffered yet maintained a steadfast faith in God. Do not shy away from a “barbed” or hurtful past. Open yourself up to share your faith story. I truly feel God is calling me to work in a secular workplace to shine forth his truth. As a matter of fact, I had a couple co-workers interested in my faith! I feel called by God to be his “fishhook”.  Fishing requires patience. Sometimes our target will slip away because we act too rashly. We must allow God to do most of the reeling in. Christians are merely His evangelical instrument. God is  the Divine fisherman!

Jesus calls the fishermen

 

Thank you for sharing!