3 Similarities I Share with my Namesake— Saint Matthew

September 20, 2022September 20, 2022 / chicoinematt / 1 Comment

Editor’s note: Article originally published on September 23, 2018.

According to Rick Riordan, author of the acclaimed young adult series Percy Jackson, “Names had power!” Among the first questions people ask parents upon the birthday of a child is “which name did you choose? Names also possess a meaning.

Now you may or may not be aware of the meaning or purpose of the name your parents choose for you. If you are not aware, it would be an interesting conversation to discover why they choose a particular name. If there was no particular reason, it would still be interesting to look up the history of your namesake or the literal meaning of it.

The general reason for my name selection is due to my parents being Catholic. It’s customary for Catholics to name their children after one of the saints.

Celebrating the feast day of the St. Matthew is something I regrettable didn’t consciously do until last year. Along with eating a special dinner with my wife, reading today’s Gospel, and playing a fun board game, I am going to also celebrate by recognizing a few similarities I share with my personal patron!

You Owe Me

Within the past year, I took on a new position in the company as a student loan debt collector. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and modern technology certainly has softened collection practices in recent year. But debt collectors still don’t have a positive connotation in today’s society. Back in the time of 1st century Palestine, the stigma against debt collectors was prevalent. In fact, tax collectors were especially hated by the Jews as they were viewed as sell-outs who worked for the “evil” Roman Empire.

My new association with debt collections brings the challenges of dealing with angry, concerned, confused, and desolate customers. However, my new job comes with a hidden joy of being more closely linked with St. Matthew.

Matthew—Lover of Theology

Along with sharing similar occupations with St. Matthew, I possess a thirst for discovering knowledge about God just like the Gospel writer. Theology refers to faith seeking understanding. Among the saints Matthew possessed a privileged opportunity of being selected as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. What is more, Matthew together with St. John are the only individuals able to claim being both an Evangelist and Apostle!

Matthew’s Gospel is laden with parables and the incredible Sermon on the Mount. He shows Jesus as the Good Teacher always willing to shed light on the truth of God’s love. I am always emboldened by the following words of Christ proclaims to conclude Matthew’s gospel, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt 28:19-20, emphasis added mine).

Matthew was Called by God

While the saint whose moniker I bear did not always believe in Jesus, he experienced a profound conversation. Matthew’s calling is significant. All three Synoptic Gospels include this episode as important in the public life and ministry of Jesus.

Being a cradle Catholic myself, I lack that momentous public conversion that St. Matthew experienced. However, this does not mean that I never underwent a conversion. Actually, my Catholic faith and reliance has slowly deepened over the course of my college years, and nascent parenting years.

A couple years ago I took an assessment on the various charisms that would most likely be my natural God-given gift. My two highest [according to the questions I answered] included the charism of writing and evangelization. I’m sure St. Matthew helped foster those talents.

The craziness of wrangling three ( now four) overtired kids and bustle of the workday delayed my celebration of Matthew the Evangelist’s Feast Day. Tonight, I plan on celebrating my patron saint! Jesus choose an unworthy man to be among his apostles. If God can choose sinners and tax collectors, certainly we are called by Him to follow in the footsteps of the saints who came before us.

Collect [From the Liturgy of the Feast of St. Matthew]

O God, who with untold mercy were pleased to choose as an Apostle Saint Matthew, the tax collector, grant that, sustained by his example and intercession, we may merit to hold firm in following you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

Harvesting Gifts—Reflection on the Parable of the Talents

September 11, 2020September 11, 2020 / chicoinematt

Editor’s note: Article originally published on September 5, 2018.

Over the past couple months, I received several opportunities that I am incredibly thankful and humbled by to further develop my gift of writing—a chance to contribute for the ‘epic’ website [no pun intended] EpicPew.com and as a content writer for the Sioux City Diocese Catholic Radio website.

The timing truly could not be more fitting as August is normally the beginning of the harvest season for farmers and the fruits of labor arrive. On top of this seasonal serendipity, the Gospel reading for September 1st seemed appropriate as well. To begin the month, Jesus told his disciples [and us through the Church] the parable of the talents.

Basically the story goes where a man went on a trip and entrusted his servants to 10, 5, and 1 talents respectively. He expected them to grow and nurture these gifts when he returned. The individuals granted 10 and 5 talents honed and multiplied their gifts, whereas the third servant miserly buried his sole gift in fear of losing it. Praising the good stewards the master declared, “Well done, my faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy” (Matthew 25:21- 23).

The miserly servant did not get the same generous reply. Instead, the master declared,

His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!* So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? 27Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? 28Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 29* e For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30* And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

Use Your God-given gifts for the benefit of others

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 791, The body’s unity does not do away with the diversity of its members: “In the building up of Christ’s Body there is engaged a diversity of members and functions. There is only one Spirit who, according to his own richness and the needs of the ministries, gives his different gifts for the welfare of the Church.” We are all endowed with a unique personality, unique soul, and unique gifts to help further the Kingdom of God here on earth and to promote peace and justice in the world as well. Be diligent to foster your gifts to share with others instead of selfishly squandering them away.

Do Not Fear Failure

St. Pope John Paul II once said, “There is no place for selfishness and no place for fear! Do not be afraid, then, when love makes demands. Do not be afraid when love requires sacrifice”. I have noticed that whenever I narrow my perspective towards selfishness instead of widening my scope of reality by trusting in God I tend to fear the unknown and fear failure. As a writer, this fear frequently hits me. The following thoughts invade my mind from time to time: “What if my topic I write about today is boring?” “I am concerned about getting writer’s block!” “I am just lazy today, I do not have the energy or motivation to write!”

Jesus teaches us in the Parable of the Talents to exercise our gifts, in spite the fear of failure. Succumbing to fear only leads down a desolate and destructive path!

Responsibility Leads to More Responsibility

The great English Prime Minister Winston Churchill proclaimed, “The price of greatness is responsibility.” Utilizing your God-given gifts provides not only an immense joy and a deepening of that charism, but also your responsibility increases as well. In the Parable of the Talents the master informed the responsible servants, “Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities” (Matthew 25:21). When we ask for help the Holy Spirit answered and grants us the ability, resolve, and grace to make it through difficulties utilize our gifts to help others!

Heavenly Lord, do not let us neglect Your Spirit or the gifts You have given us. Give us courage to use these gifts and the humility to not use them for our glory, but for You and Your glory. Help us see the good work You have ready for us and embrace that work with willingness and joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Red Wagon Ruminations

December 22, 2018December 26, 2018 / chicoinematt

The great Irish poet Oscar Wilde once penned, “With freedom, books, flowers, and the moon, who could not be happy?” While I definitely would not dispute any of those items on his list, I recently came across an ordinary item that provoked a spirit of joy and gratitude that I would most certainly add to Wilde’s list! Before I do that I have a riddle for you, “What has four wheels, colored in red, and brings happiness?? Answer: While, technically a crimson corvette, may still be correct—the answer I was looking for was a red wagon!

Over the past week we celebrated Christmas with my wife’s side of the family. One of the gifts that my father-in-law gave to my kids was a red wagon. I assembled the crimson coach while watching Sunday football. When my two year old woke from his nap his eyes lit up and shouted, “Wheels, wheels!” So far this week, I have taken the kids for a ride at least 5 times. The following exchange between my 5 year-old daughter and I demonstrates how a simple children’s toy brings happiness.

Daughter: “Wagon freedom!”

Me: “What does that mean?”

Daughter: “Freedom means I am happy.”

J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote, “Little by little, one travels far.” His words perfectly summarized our wagon experiences. Through merely traveling a few blocks, either around our neighborhood, or to and from the elementary school, the short trip brought an immense amount of knowledge. From the click-clacking of the cotter pins as the wheels turned to the giggles of my children as I lugged them behind me, I traveled down Memory Lane to the nostalgia of my childhood and simpler times.

Experiencing Christmastime with the attitude of gratitude, not only brings out the best in the season, but also the unexpected. Although at face value, a red wagon is not the most alluring, expensive, or glitzy gift, the joy it brought me and my childrencertainly exceeded expectations and brought joy!

Thank you for sharing!

J.O.Y.—Just Others [over] Yourself!!!

November 28, 2018April 18, 2019 / chicoinematt

joy

Along with my enjoyment of crafting the written word into sentences, paragraphs, coherent thoughts, and detailing my struggles and limitations, I began The Simple Catholic blog with the aim to pursue the joy of the Gospel in my pilgrim journey on this Earth. This thing about joy is that it is always momentarily and never actually something you can produce yourself. Joy is different from mere happiness as joy hints at a higher reality and is a gift from God. Happiness, on the other hand, may be man-made, it is something able to be manufactured and it provides temporary pleasure.

According to C.S. Lewis discussing a life experience in Surprised by Joy wrote, “I called it [his experience] Joy, which is here a technical term and must be sharply distinguished both from Happiness and from Pleasure. Joy (in my sense) has indeed one characteristic, and one only, in common with them; the fact that anyone who has experienced it will want it again…But then Joy is never in our power and pleasure often is” (p. 18). The Catechism of the Catholic Church refers to joy as a fruit of the Holy Spirit (CCC 1829). Only through love of God and neighbor, through the virtue of charity is the gift of joy received!

Unexpected Joy

Another interesting thing about joy is that we receive this gift unexpectedly. Ironically, and no pun intended, when I noticed Lewis’ Surprised by Joy hidden on the bottom of a bookshelf in the local used books store joy immediately flooded in. I was “surprised by joy!” Out of great love for C.S. Lewis, I was grateful and joyful to have the opportunity to purchase his wonderful conversion story.

Earlier this week, I received joyful and surprising news—I was going to see a college buddy of mine. My wife texted, “We are having dinner at XXX and XXX’s house on Saturday! We are bringing dessert.” While at face value this message appeared ordinary, charity transforms seemingly mundane events into joyful ones! I was not excited about the dessert or a change in scenery for dinner. Rather, I was joyful about spending time with my friend and his family.

Joy out of this World

Joy involves the in-breaking of the transcendent reality into this earthly existence. It hints at a higher reality of Heaven—communion with God forever. According to Saint John Paul II, “Christ remains primary in your life only when he enjoys the first place in your mind and heart. Thus you must continuously unite yourself to him in prayer…. Without prayer there can be no joy, no hope, no peace. For prayer is what keeps us in touch with Christ.”

Joy is a gift we receive when we live for others and receive it most fully when we live for the Ultimate Others—the Trinity of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Sin separates us from the joy of love of God and fellow man. We need to ask God for the gift of joy, the fruit of charity to be aware of the little moments He meets us throughout our life. The first step after prayer is just others over yourself!

Related Resources for More Joy:

https://www.amazon.com/Surprised-Joy-Shape-Early-Life/dp/0062565435

https://thesimplecatholic.blog/2019/03/24/3-joys-you-can-experience-through-play/

https://thesimplecatholic.blog/2018/09/26/unexpected-joy-in-expected-suffering/

https://thesimplecatholic.blog/2018/06/29/containing-joy-rainbow-baby-after-miscarriage-maelstroms/