April 28

A Changed Occupation

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up, left everything, and followed Him. — Luke 5:27-28 BSB

The trade routes between the East and the Mediterranean passed through the region of Galilee, bringing wealth to Capernaum and its neighboring towns. Levi, later called Matthew, held a profitable position in a tax office near the lake, a place often visited by Jesus. Perhaps he had heard the Lord’s teaching, or maybe the call to follow Jesus was completely unexpected. Either way, Matthew immediately responded, leaving everything to follow Christ. No doubt, he later returned to settle his accounts, but in that moment, he chose Jesus above all.

Jesus renamed him “Matthew,” which means “a gift.” And indeed, Matthew became a great gift to the disciples, and his Gospel has made the entire world his debtor. With beautiful humility, Matthew does not mention in his Gospel that he prepared a great feast for Jesus. This feast may have celebrated his decision to follow Christ and provided an opportunity to introduce Jesus to other tax collectors and “sinners” (Luke 5:29-30). It was likely the first step in forming the Christian community, and Jesus used the occasion to declare His purpose of seeking and saving the lost, forming a new society based on grace.

If Zacchaeus happened to be present at this feast, it could have marked the beginning of his transformation. Under the influence of Jesus, Zacchaeus resolved to make amends for his past and live a new life.

Let us seek to bring joy into our religious life and reach out to those who feel excluded from the church. We may find future Matthews, Augustines, or Bunyans among them!

Prayer

O God, wherever You lead, we will follow, for Your ways are full of wisdom and love. Align our wills with Yours, so that we may fear no evil or death, knowing that all things work together for our good. Amen.