Reflect today on your willingness to imitate the apostle Matthew

As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs. He said to him: "Follow me." And he got up and followed him. Matthew 9: 9

San Matteo was a rich and "important" man in his day. As a tax collector, he was also disliked by many Jews. But He proved a good man with His immediate response to Jesus' call.

We don't have many details on this story, but we have the details that matter. We see that Matteo is at work collecting taxes. We see that Jesus simply walks beside him and calls him. And we see that Matthew gets up immediately, abandons everything and follows Jesus. This is a true conversion.

For most people, this kind of immediate response wouldn't happen. Most people should first get to know Jesus, be convinced by Him, talk to family and friends, think, meditate, and then decide whether following Jesus was a good idea. Most people go through a long rationalization of God's will before responding to it. It is you?

Every day God calls us. Every day he calls us to serve him in a radical and complete way in one way or another. And every day we have the opportunity to respond just as Matthew did. The key is to have two essential qualities. First, we must recognize the voice of Jesus clearly and unequivocally. We must, in faith, know what he tells us when he says it. Second, we need to be sure that whatever Jesus calls or inspires us to do is worth it. If we can perfect these two qualities we will be able to imitate the quick and total response of St. Matthew.

Reflect today on your willingness to imitate this apostle. What do you say and do when God calls every day? Where you see a lack, commit yourself again to a more radical following of Christ. You will not regret it.

Lord, I can hear you speak and answer you with all my heart every time. May I follow you wherever you lead. Jesus I believe in you.