St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21

Every September 21st, the Church celebrates the feast of St. MatthewSt. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, was one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus and were direct witnesses of his life, teachings, Passion and Resurrection. St. Matthew, also known as Levi, offers us a profound example of conversion, dedication and fidelity to the evangelizing mission, qualities that continue to inspire priests and faithful today.

His life shows how a personal encounter with Jesus can completely transform a person's heart and lead to a radical commitment. The figure of St. Matthew helps us to know the history of early Christianity and to understand how to live the priestly vocation and evangelizing commitment.

St. Matthew: from tax collector to apostle

Before being called by Jesus, Matthew practiced the profession of tax collector in Capernaum. This work, which was socially frowned upon by the Jewish people and often associated with corruption, did not prevent Jesus from choosing him as a disciple. The choice of Matthew underlines a central message of the Gospel: God calls each personregardless of its past, in order to transform it and place it at the service of its mission.

Upon hearing Jesus' invitation, Matthew promptly responded by leaving what he was doing and going away. This resolute act of total self-giving is an opening of the heart to a vocation and serves as a model for all those who feel a call to the priesthood, to total self-giving in celibacy or to the consecrated life. Matthew understood that true richness is found in the surrender of one's life to God and in the mission of bringing his message to others.

Matthew dedicated himself to following Jesus and being a witness of his work. Later, he will write the Gospel that bears his nameThe first of the four gospels of the New Testament and one of the three synoptic gospels, in which he presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament. He tries to convince the Jews through this relationship with the scriptures that he knew well. This Gospel emphasizes Jesus' closeness to the needy and the value of daily life.

The Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel according to St. Matthew is characterized by its pedagogical and moral approachThe book was addressed to both Jews and Christians of all times. His contributions include:

• The presentation of Jesus as the fulfillment of propheciesMatthew emphasizes that Jesus is the Messiah awaited by Israel, connecting the Old and New Testaments, something the Jews knew well from their study of the law and the prophets.
• The teaching on ethical and moral lifeThe Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) contains principles of Christian life applicable at any time in human history.
• The call to conversion and concrete actionIt is not enough to know the teachings of Jesus, it is necessary to put them into practice in daily life.
• The care for the poor and marginalizedMatthew reflects Jesus' compassion for those most in need, a message that remains central to the mission of the Church.

This Gospel thus becomes a source of inspiration for priests and laityreminding them that evangelizing does not mean just preaching words, but setting an example that transforms lives and communities.

Priests: continuers of the mission

Priests are called to be references for all disciples of JesusThe mission of the apostles, continuing the work of Matthew and the twelve apostles. His mission is framed in three basic dimensions:

1. Preaching the GospelThe aim of the project is to transmit the message of Christ in a clear and accessible way, adapted to the present times.
2. Administering the sacramentsThe sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Priestly Ordination and Anointing of the Sick are the most frequent sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession.
3. Pastoral accompaniment of the faithfulTo guide, educate and support people in their spiritual growth and in the living of their faith.

In a rapidly changing world, priests face the challenge of bringing the faith to new contexts: globalized cities, digital societies, pluralistic cultures. Following the example of St. Matthew, priests are called to adapt to new media and channels of communication. communication without losing the authenticity of the Christian message.

Digital evangelization in the 21st century

The evangelization in the 21st century has been transformed by digitalization and the global reach of the internet. Social networks, blogs, podcasts and live broadcasts allow the voice of the Gospel to reach millions of people who otherwise would not have direct contact with the Church.

Examples of current initiatives include:

• Hallow: is a Catholic application designed to facilitate prayer, meditation and spiritual rest. Available in Spanish, it offers a variety of resources to deepen your faith and find inner peace and millions of prayers and downloads worldwide.
• Rebels wanted: a Catholic evangelization channel that offers formation and resources to deepen the faith and respond to the questions of today's people from the essence of Christianity. Directed by Father Ignacio Amorós, the project seeks to inspire believers to live their faith in an authentic and committed way.
• Priests in social networks, such as @curadetoledo managed by the priest Don Valentín Aparicio Lara, from the major seminary of Toledo. His account focuses on Catholic evangelization, offering daily meditations based on the Gospel, spiritual reflections and formative content aimed at the Christian community.
• Ten Minutes with Jesus. 10 Minutes with Jesus are audios recorded by young priests that help to pray. The CARF Foundation supports the Spanish version. A platform that is in five languages, spread around the world and can be followed on YouTube, WhatsApp groups, Spotify, Telegram, Ivoox, Podtail, Spreaker, Alexa.... With mobile application for Apple and Android.

These examples are just a sample that allows evangelizing young people and adults in their natural contextsThe Gospel is a way of integrating faith into daily life and making the witness of Christian life more palpable. Just as St. Matthew transmitted his experience with Jesus through his Gospel, today priests and digital evangelizers seek to share the faith in a concrete and close way.

A call for everyone

St. Matthew is a model for priests and evangelizers, and also for all Christians. His life reminds us that we are all called to be witnesses to the Gospel. This implies:

• Reply promptly to God's call.
• Living the faith in a coherent mannerintegrating the Gospel into daily life.
• Participate actively in evangelization, whether through word, social action or witness.

Evangelization is not only a task for priests; every member of the faithful has a role to play in the evangelization process. to bring the message of Christ to their environmentinspiring others with concrete works.

St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, teaches us that the true vocation is born of a personal encounter with Jesus and is expressed in the dedication of one's life to the service of others. His story is a reminder that no matter what a person's past, God always offers an opportunity for conversion.

In the 21st century, priests and evangelizers continue their work, adapting to the new means of communication and finding innovative ways of reaching people's heartsas St. Matthew reached out to his contemporaries with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel. Following his example, we are all called to be active disciples, witnesses and agents of transformation in the world.

 "As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax counter, and he said to him, "Follow me."" If Jesus could transform a tax collector into a servant, a traitor into his close friend, he can also transform us into children of God, into his close friends.