Riches to Rags

Continuing my reflections on September saints, September 21^st brings us the feast of St Matthew. One of the traditions that has been part of the Church of England for generations, is the dedication of churches to a patron saint and of course, our Chelston church has St Matthew as our patron.

A saint is someone whose life was transparent to God’s work in them in particular way.  St Matthew is named in the gospels, first as a tax collector. He was working for the occupying Romans, collecting taxes from his own people to hand over to them, possibly lining his own pocket on the way. He would have been hated by many of his countrymen and excluded from polite company, but he might have been very rich. When he meets Jesus he is inspired to change his way of life completely, he leaves everything and follows Jesus, joining the small band of friends who become his disciples. Jesus names him as one of the twelve apostles, sent out, with nothing extra for the journey (in practical terms a riches to rags story), to share the real wealth of God’s love and the transformative power of following Jesus. Then his name becomes even more well known throughout Christian history as one of the evangelists – the writers of the first accounts of Jesus life – sharing the “good news”.

What does his life show us about God at work?

Perhaps he shows us where our sense of true value might lie: in the joy of helping others come to know they are loved by Jesus and can trust God for what they need. Matthew gives us the beautiful words of Jesus about considering the lilies, and watching the birds as symbols of God’s provision for all the creatures he loves, not least for us.

At a time in the history of St Matthew’s, Chelston, when we are both looking to see how the church building can be a place of welcome through the week, and we know that work needed on the structure will be costly, perhaps returning to St Matthew’s message is timely. Let’s have confidence in God’s provision, alert to its unexpected sources, and live out that confidence as tellers of the good news of God’s love in this place. As we follow his example, may we also ask for St Matthew’s prayers for the church under his patronage in the days to come.