[Grem] *****SPAM(5.2)***** Gospel meditation

[Emoke Greschik]

 Friends, in today’s Gospel, *Jesus calls Matthew to become his disciple.*

*Jesus gazes at this man and says simply, “Follow me.” Did Jesus invite
Matthew because the tax collector merited it?* Was Jesus responding to some
hidden longing in the sinner’s heart? *Certainly not. Grace, by definition,
comes unbidden and without explanation.*
*I*n Caravaggio’s magnificent painting of this scene, Matthew responds to
Jesus’ summons by pointing incredulously to himself and wearing a quizzical
expression, as if to say,* “Me? You want me?”* The hand of Christ in
Caravaggio’s picture is adapted from the hand of God the Father in
Michelangelo’s depiction of the creation of man on the Sistine Chapel
ceiling*. Just as creation is ex nihilo, so conversion is a new creation.*
*Matthew immediately gets up and follows the Lord. But where does he follow
him? To a banquet! “While he was at table in his house . . .” *is the first
thing we read after the declaration that Matthew followed him. *Before he
calls Matthew to do anything, Jesus invites him to recline in easy
fellowship around a festive table. *As Erasmo Leiva-Merikakis comments, *“The
deepest meaning of Christian discipleship is not *to work for* Jesus but to
be with Jesus."*

*Imádkozzál érettünk, Istennek szent Anyja!  Hogy méltók lehessünk Krisztus
ígéreteire!  Könyörögjünk! Kérünk téged, Úristen, öntsd lelkünkbe szent
kegyelmedet, hogy akik az angyali üzenet által szent Fiadnak, Jézus
Krisztusnak megtestesülését megismertük, az ő kínszenvedése és keresztje
által a föltámadás dicsőségébe vitessünk! Krisztus, a mi Urunk által. Ámen.*
--------- következő rész ---------
Egy csatolt HTML állomány át lett konvertálva...
URL: <http://turul.kgk.uni-obuda.hu/pipermail/grem/attachments/20240113/0e2f6626/attachment.html>