St Matthew the Apostle-21st September

St Matthew the Apostle is also known as Levi. He was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus. Before being called by Jesus, he was a tax collector. He is the author of The Gospel of St Matthew. He preached the Gospel to the Jewish community in Judea and later went to other countries. We celebrate his feast day on September 21 every year in the Catholic Church.

St. Matthew the Apostle & Evangelist

Feast Day: September 21 (Roman Catholic Church; also honored in the Orthodox and other Christian traditions).
Patron of: bankers, accountants, tax collectors, bookkeepers, and customs officers.

Life

St. Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector in Capernaum before Jesus called him to discipleship.
Tax collectors were often despised in Jewish society, yet Jesus looked past his profession and saw his heart.
Matthew left everything behind when Jesus said: “Follow me.” (Matthew 9:9).

Gospel

He is the traditionally recognized author of the Gospel according to Matthew, written for a Jewish-Christian audience.
His Gospel highlights Jesus as the Messiah who fulfills Old Testament prophecies, the new Moses, and the founder of the Church.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7) and the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20) are two of its most famous parts.

Symbol

In Christian art, Matthew is often represented as a winged man or angel, one of the four living creatures of Ezekiel and Revelation.
This symbolizes his Gospel’s focus on the humanity of Christ and the Incarnation.

Death

Ancient tradition says Matthew preached the Gospel in Ethiopia, Persia, and possibly other regions.
He is believed to have died a martyr, though details differ among sources.

St. Matthew reminds us that no one is beyond God’s call and that Christ can transform even the most unlikely person into a witness of the Gospel.

0921 St Matthew 1p SMC 8.5 x 11 R1R 20240531

St Matthew the Apostle

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“For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

“Jesus did not look at Matthew’s past but at his potential to proclaim the Gospel.”

“Christ calls the sinner to new life, not because of their merits, but by His grace.”

“From counting coins to counting souls for Christ — Matthew’s life shows that no past is too stained for God’s mercy to redeem.”

Prayer to St. Matthew For Faithfulness

O Glorious St. Matthew,
in your Gospel you portray Jesus
as the longed-for Messiah
who fulfilled the Prophets
of the Old Covenant and
as the Lawgiver who founded
a Church of the New Covenant.
Obtain for us the grace to see
Jesus living in His Church and
to follow His teaching in our lives
on Earth so that we may live forever
with Him in heaven.
Amen.

St Matthew Novena

God of Mercy
You chose a tax collector,
Saint Matthew, to share
the dignity of the apostles.
By his example
and prayers help us follow
Christ and remain faithful in
Your service.
We ask this through
Our Lord Jesus Christ,
Your Son, who lives
and reigns with You
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.

Prayer to Saint Matthew

O Glorious St. Matthew
through the grace of God
Our Father you gave us the Holy Gospel,
which brings us joy and life.
Inspired by your example,
I ask for your assistance
in all my needs.
Help me to follow Christ
and remain faithful to His service.
Amen.

PRAYER TO ST MATTHEW, EVANGELIST

Through the intercession of St Matthew, Evangelist, may we always put aside worldly distractions and follow You, O Lord, as quietly as St Matthew left his work and immediately became one of Your disciples. By his example and prayers help us to follow You without counting the cost and remain faithful in Your service.
Lord hear us, Lord graciously hear us.

Prayer to St. Matthew as your Patron Saint

Saint Matthew, whom I have chosen as my special patron, pray for me that I, too, may one day glorify the Blessed Trinity in heaven. Obtain for me your lively faith, that I may consider all persons, things, and events in the light of almighty God. Pray, that I may be generous in making sacrifices of temporal things to promote my eternal interests, as you so wisely did.

Set me on fire with a love for Jesus, that I may thirst for His sacraments and burn with zeal for the spread of His kingdom. By your powerful intercession, help me in the performance of my duties to God, myself and all the world.

Win for me the virtue of purity and a great confidence in the Blessed Virgin. Protect me this day, and every day of my life. Keep me from mortal sin. Obtain for me the grace of a happy death.
Amen.