Spiritual Journal on The Gospel of Matthew
Dale Maxfield
I never want to forget the fact that Jesus was a Jew. I continue to learn to appreciate this fact and that the Old Testament contained the “Bible” that Jesus learned, read and prayed. I have always felt it a great gift to be Judeo-Christian and that is probably why I am enjoying reading and reflecting on the Gospel of Matthew who connects all the great moments in Jesus’ life to the preparation that preceded each event in the Old Testament.
Bosetti compares these “fulfillment citations” as the thread that interweaves God’s promise of salvation into one seamless garment. Matthew’s Gospel of discourses and narratives show another side of Jesus as proclaiming the coming of the kingdom.
Although the Jesus of authority and majesty at the end of the Gospel should not make us forget the kind and caring face of Jesus who is meek and humble of heart. The gentleness of Jesus gives us more courage to grow in our relationship with Him. It teaches us that to be like Jesus we should be working on humility which is really about transparency and truth; not putting on masks but being people of integrity. Jesus meek and humble of heart, make our hearts like unto Thine. The Lord invites each of us to come to him when we are worried, troubled and heavily burdened. “ Come to Me all you who are weary and heavily burdened, and I will refresh you; learn from me for I am meek and humble of heart.”
Humility is an underappreciated virtue in our society. Gentle, humble, men seldom get ahead. Wealth and power are what’s admired. If we asked our society and culture whom they most admire, Donald Trump or Mr. Rogers, we are fairly sure who they would pick.
Again, Matthew uses titles of Jesus that can be food for reflection. Son of David – we still pray the Benedictus which connects us with our Father Abraham. Son of God – which Matthew wants everyone to understand by the end of his Gospel. Jesus, You are the true Son of Mary and the true Son of God. Help me to grow in my understanding of this great mystery that you are truly God and truly Man. Show me what it means to be fully human. You are my Teacher and Master if I but listen and strive to live the life you lived. Teach me to live a life that will make me always ready to come home to your kingdom.
You are Emmanuel, God with us.
Your family tree of the line of David contains many wonderful people of
the past; and some who were not so good but still heroic in ways that led to the
birth of the Messiah. But all in
all, it finds its origin in God, the Father.
I feel so blessed that I am Catholic and have a wonderful love and
appreciation for our Mother, Mary.
Thank you for my grandmother and mother who raised me to fall in love with our
Blessed Mother. Thank you for
giving her to us as you hung upon the cross.
And let’s not forget
who were not always perfect, but somehow lived their vocation in a way that allowed Jesus to be born in the lives of others.
Of course, I cannot help but compare the slaughter of the innocents with the current situation of abortion today. When will we learn the sacredness of human life? The hardest thing to endure for any human being is the death of a child. I never understood this in the way that I do now as the father of five children. There is such a bond that any parent would gladly step in to save his children from pain, suffering or death. I have a new insight of this in that God has done the same. In a sense, by sending His Son who is truly God and truly man, God has stepped in for us and accepted suffering and death so that we would not have to. What a wonderful gift and what great love.
Matthew offers a Gospel of catechesis. He teaches us how to live and how to prepare for the kingdom. One way is by repentance. John the Baptist shows us the way of conversion. Lord, change my sinful ways into deeds that make the way of the Lord real in my life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit; help me to be the son in whom you are well pleased. Help me to believe that good news that sounds too good to be true: that you love me as much as you loved your Son, Jesus.
Help me to hear your call to me. Help me to drop my nets and follow you without reservation.
Your beatitudes are probably the most challenging thing for me in Matthew’s Gospel. If we really want to live a life of grace we are called to live these beatitudes daily and that is not easy. Yet if we do, we are blessed and it is then that we will experience great joy that the world cannot give.
Again, Lord, I need your help to forgive my neighbor, not just seven times but every time. May I never be a hypocrite, just putting on a show so others will see. May my life and actions always be from the heart. And may I always be faithful to the Liturgy of the Hours, especially when prayed in the secret of my own room and the communal prayers are no longer available.
One of the harder things I’ve been challenged to give up for Lent is “worry.” You would think that a seminarian would “know better” but still I place too much trust in other things rather than in You. Help me to look at the birds of the air more often and learn that You will give me all I need.
And finally, we go to