 ADAPTED FROM STORIES EDITED BY Fr. Daniel A. Lord, S.J. Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur, 1948 |
Saint Matthew the Apostle and Martyr Once upon a time there was a tax gatherer named Levi. The Jews did not like him. He took their tax money and gave it to the Romans. But Levi was not a bad man. He only did what he thought was his duty. One day Jesus saw him. He saw good in him that others did not see. "Come and follow Me!" Jesus said quietly to the tax gatherer. Levi looked up in surprise. He had never seen such a wonderful Man before. Why, it would be the greatest honor to be one of His followers! Instantly he got up. He left his table with all the money on it. He went after our Lord. And Jesus made him one of His twelve Apostles. He changed his name to Matthew. He wrote the wonderful Gospel According to Saint Matthew. He saw all that Jesus did. He heard all that Jesus said. He walked with Him and grew to love Him more and more. To make sure that the world would never forget Jesus, Matthew wrote all this down in his beautiful Gospel. Gospel, you know, means Good News. He died a blessed Martyr. With Saint Mark, Saint Luke and Saint John, he is one of the Four Evangelists. His Feast is September 21st. [Father Lord does not mention it here, but Saint Matthew's symbol is the Angel because Tradition has it that one assisted him in writing the Gospel.] |
