Celtic Contemplations

Matthew 9:9-10 “As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples.”

There was reason for the unpopularity of tax collectors. They were disliked for collaborating with the Roman imperial authorities; and also for extorting more tax than was due, in order to inflate their profits. So it was a despised trade, along with ass-drivers, tanners and bath-attendants. They tended to be social outcasts.

We get so used to planning and arranging that we think God must surely agree with us! Today As we come into God’s presence, perhaps we can begin to realise that we are approaching tremendous mystery and ask, with awe and humility, for the help we need. Perhaps also we can ask forgiveness for any way in which we have become self-satisfied, for thinking that we know all God’s ways.

From the Northumbria Community Daily Prayer

God will know how to draw glory from even our faults. Not to be downcast after committing a fault is one of the marks of true sanctity. (Dom Augustine Guillerand)

When someone gets to the spiritual crossroads, they can either turn aside and go a completely different direction, or they can go on in a completely different way. (Susan Howatch)

Lord, maybe I have my own secret list of social outcasts, people I do not like to be mixed up with. You chose your friends differently. You saw need and goodness where others saw only disreputable villainy. Help me today to ask myself the question, do I have to do some serious work on my choosiness? Amen