Secondary Level

November 16th - Feast Day of The Evangelist Matthew

         Matthew 9:9-13

       An example of a man who renounced worldly values and embraced the love of Christ is that of the Apostle Matthew whose feastday is celebrated on November 16.   Matthew, or Levi as he was also called, served as a tax collector in Capernaum for the ruthless Roman government.  He enjoyed personal wealth and worldly power but as a Jew working for the despised Romans, Matthew was a lost sinner in the eyes of his people.   As far as many were concerned, he had given his soul to money!

          The call of Christ's love, which Matthew heard and followed, changed his whole life.  From a peddler of money in an unjust economic system, he was transformed into a herald of the good news -- an Evangelist -- in the greatest spiritual movement the world has ever known.  

Read Matthew 9:9-13, the calling of Matthew,

and answer the following questions.

1.  With what words did Jesus call Matthew who was sitting in his collection office (vs. 9)?

2.  What did Jesus do to strengthen His friendship with Matthew (vs. 10)?

3.  What did Jesus say was His reason for keeping company with sinners (vs. 12)?

4.      What does God prefer to animal sacrifices (vs. 13a)?