Listen

As Jesus continued on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at a kiosk for collecting taxes. He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed him. As Jesus sat down to eat in Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners joined Jesus and his disciples at the table.

Matthew 9:9-10

Think

Has this ever happened to you? They are picking people to participate in a game, and you are the last person they pick. It feels awful! You feel your confidence and courage slowly fading away. When you start playing, you can’t stop thinking about how the teams didn’t want you until they had no choice. I imagine that perhaps Matthew thought the same way when he felt the stares of the other disciples as Jesus approached and called him to follow.

In Jesus’ upside-down world, he chooses people who take us by surprise. Jesus doesn’t care if a person has a bad reputation, if they are talented or not, if they can play or not. Jesus sees beyond the labels or designations that families or groups put on them at school. Jesus sees someone who is worthy to love, to forgive, to support. Jesus sees us, understands us, and calls us. May God enable us to understand Jesus’ call, a call that is not based on our ability, so that we can follow him immediately as Matthew did!

Marissa Galván-Valle

Question to Ponder:

In what areas of my life can I let go of my insecurities and respond to Jesus’ call, trusting that Jesus will enable me to follow?

Pray

God, I thank you for Jesus, who sees my heart in unconditional ways. He called an unexpected group of disciples: fishermen, rejected women, tax collectors. All these people Jesus called, giving them the task of following him. Help me, O God, to follow Jesus, who chose me and will always choose me to be on his team.

Amen.

Go

Always return to your point of origin: God. Inhale for a count of four. Hold that air inside your being for four seconds. Exhale for a count of four. Every time you breathe, remember that God is in every breath.