Feast of Saint Matthew the Evangelist – September 21

According to tradition, the first book in the New Testament canon, the Gospel according to Saint Matthew, was written by one of the Twelve, the disciples chosen by Jesus during his own lifetime. According to the Gospel account, Matthew (also known by his Jewish name, Levi) was a tax collector. Jesus passing by his post, called him and he got up and followed Jesus (cf. Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:13-14, Luke 5:27-28). Jesus then went to eat in his home.

Little is known about Saint Matthew after Jesus’ ascension into heaven. Differing traditions claim that during persecutions in Palestine, he went abroad to continue preaching the Gospel and eventually died a martyr’s death.

Saint Matthew’s Gospel is placed first in the New Testament. It provides us with many otherwise unknown details about Jesus’ birth, focusing on the role of Saint Joseph. Jesus in the Gospel according to Saint Matthew is closely tied to the figure of Moses in the Pentateuch. Matthew seems to be writing for a Jewish community of believers in Jesus and he cites the Old Testament often. Modern exegetes have found that the author of Matthew’s Gospel knew well the Gospel according to Saint Mark.