July 7, 2023, Friday of the 13th Week of Ordinary Time-A
Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8,62-67
Psalm 106
Matthew 9:9-13
He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. Mt. 9:9
“I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Mt. 9:13
Lord, you took a risk in calling a tax collector, a man hated and despised by the people, to follow you and have a place in your inner circle. Matthew took a risk too when he gave up his lucrative and profitable business of collecting the customs and taxes. Peter and Andrew took risks when they walked away from the only job they ever had: fishing. Mary took a risk when she said “yes” to the Angel to be the unwed mother of the Savior. Lord, when you accepted the invitation to dine with notorious sinners, did you worry how that would be judged by the people you came to save. As the saying goes: if you didn’t dine with sinners, you would always eat alone. You called each of your followers in the ordinary places of their lives. You saw something in each of them. Their potential faith and devotion were just what was needed to build your Church on earth. Thank you for calling me to follow you. What did you see in me? Thank you for giving me the grace and the opportunity to carry out what you have asked me to be and do. Amen.