Imagine being hated, rejected, and despised by your community because of the work you choose to do. People avoid you on the street, call you terrible names, and maybe even spit at you. After a while, you might get used to it and it wouldn’t bother you as much, even though you wish it were otherwise.
Then one day a powerful man who is greatly admired – maybe the next leader of the nation – comes into town. You expect He will despise you just like everyone else, but no. He looks at you. He sees you as you’ve never been seen before. It seems that He knows you in the deepest part of your being and He is not disgusted with you. Instead, He calls you to be part of his inner circle, to join Him on the journey. “Follow me.”
Finally, someone sees you, knows you, and wants you. Of course, you get up immediately and follow Him. You are ready to leave your old life behind. You had been protecting yourself from years of rejection, but you don’t need to do that anymore. You are accepted, not rejected. Loved, not hated. Included, not avoided. Finally, you belong.
Before the calling of Matthew, we read the story of the healing of the paralytic and the forgiveness of His sins. The healing was a miracle, but the greater miracle is God’s mercy extended to all who are willing to respond. Matthew responded. He followed Jesus. God extends His mercy to the outcasts of our time, just as He did to Matthew. Can we do the same? Can we see beyond the sin and see the broken person who wants to belong?
Finally seen, loved, and accepted, Matthew wanted his friends to know that joy, so he throws a dinner party for Jesus and invites the other tax collectors and sinners, the other outcasts.
Too often we wait to invite others to follow Jesus. We think we need to know more or be more perfect. We are afraid they might reject or ridicule us. We think they are beyond saving. Matthew shows us the way. When you are loved, you want others to know that love. He was called, in all of his brokenness, and knew Jesus would accept his broken friends. Matthew didn’t need to convince others, he needed only to bring them to Jesus.
In Matthew’s new life, there would still be those who hated and despised him, but he would not care because his life had meaning. He was an apostle to Jesus the Messiah. It was the most noble calling.
Can you leave your old life behind and follow God with your whole heart, mind, soul, and strength? He is calling to you, “Follow me.” He is ready to heal your wounds of rejection, hate, betrayal, ridicule. He sees you. He knows you – the good, bad, and ugly. He accepts you. He loves you.
Imagina que tu comunidad te odia, te rechaza y te desprecia por el trabajo que has escogido hacer. La gente te evita en la calle, te llama nombres terribles y tal vez hasta te escupe. Después de un tiempo, es posible que te acostumbres y no te moleste tanto, aunque quisieras que no lo hicieran.
Luego un hombre poderoso y muy admirado, tal vez el próximo líder de la nación, llega a la ciudad un día. Esperas que te desprecie como todos los demás, pero no lo hace. Te mira. Te ve como nunca antes te habían visto. Parece que te conoce en lo más profundo de tu ser y no lo repulsas. En cambio, te llama a ser parte de su círculo íntimo, a unirte a Él en el camino. “Sígueme”.
Por fin, alguien te ve, te conoce y te quiere. Por supuesto, te levantas de inmediato y lo sigues. Estás listo para dejar atrás tu vida anterior. Te has estado protegiendo de años de rechazo, pero ya no tienes que hacerlo. Eres aceptado, no rechazado. Amado, no odiado. Incluido, no evitado. Finalmente, perteneces.
Antes del llamado de Mateo, leemos la historia de la sanación del paralítico y el perdón de sus pecados. La sanación fue un milagro, pero el milagro mayor es la misericordia de Dios extendida a todos los que están dispuestos a responder. Mateo respondió. Siguió a Jesús. Dios extiende su misericordia a los marginados de nuestro tiempo, tal como lo hizo con Mateo. ¿Podemos hacer lo mismo? ¿Podemos ver más allá del pecado y ver a la persona derrotada que quiere pertenecer?
Finalmente visto, amado y aceptado, Mateo quería que sus amigos conocieran esa alegría, por lo que organiza una cena para Jesús e invita a los otros recaudadores de impuestos y pecadores, los otros marginados.
Con demasiada frecuencia esperamos para invitar a otros a seguir a Jesús. Pensamos que tenemos que saber más o ser más perfectos. Tenemos miedo de que puedan rechazarnos o ridiculizarnos. Pensamos que están más allá de la salvación. Mateo nos muestra el camino. Cuando eres amado, quieres que los demás conozcan ese amor. Él fue llamado, en toda su fragilidad, y sabía que Jesús aceptaría a sus amigos quebrantados. Mateo no tenía que convencer a los demás, sólo tenía que llevarlos a Jesús.
En la nueva vida de Mateo, todavía habría quienes lo odiarían y lo despreciarían, pero a él no le importaría porque su vida tenía sentido. Era un apóstol de Jesús el Mesías y eso era el llamado más noble.
¿Puedes dejar atrás tu vida anterior para seguir a Dios con todo tu corazón, mente, alma y fuerza? Él te está llamando: “Sígueme”. Está listo para sanar tus heridas de rechazo, odio, traición, ridículo. Él te ve. Él te conoce: lo bueno, lo malo y lo feo. Él te acepta. Él te ama.
Colleen Orchanian is a podcaster, blogger, and spiritual director who desires to help others have a more profound encounter with God. She is the author of three books: Nearer My God to Thee, Times of Grace, and Lingering with God. Her podcast is Food for Thought (Spiritually Speaking). You can learn more at ColleenOrchanian.com.
Feature Image Credit: German, art.diocesan.com/stock-photo/all-saints-day-image-13432/
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Lily, age 23, is a Michigan native and cradle Catholic who has spent most of her life exploring her own reasons to embrace her faith fully. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she discovered the beauty of her personal relationship with Christ and the Church. After college, she worked in Montessori Education for three years and recently transitioned to nannying. She is excitedly preparing for marriage in May 2025 and spends most of her time reading, wedding planning, and enjoying her dog and family!
Kimberly Andrich writes from the perspective of having a hidden, chronic illness and experiencing a deep, continuous conversion through being yoked to Jesus in the day-to-day trials and joys of life. She is a wife, mother of 5, and daughter of the King. Kimberly also writes for 
Susan Ciancio has a BA in psychology and a BA in sociology from the University of Notre Dame, with an MA in liberal studies from Indiana University. For the past 19 years, she has worked as a professional editor and writer, editing both fiction and nonfiction books, magazine articles, blogs, educational lessons, professional materials and website content. Thirteen of those years have been in the pro-life sector. Currently Susan freelances and writes weekly for HLI, edits for American Life League, and is the executive editor of Celebrate Life Magazine. She also serves as executive editor for the Culture of Life Studies Program—an educational nonprofit program for K-12 students. You can reach her at 
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A lover of Jesus Christ, a wife, and a mother of five, Christine is the author of Everyday Heroism: 28 Daily Reflections on the Little Way of Motherhood. She is a graduate of Franciscan University, an instructor for the Institute for Excellence in Writing, and an experienced catechist. Thrilled to have recently become grandparents, she and her husband currently live in Upstate, NY. Visit her author webpage at 
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