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Matthew was a Jew who worked for the occupying Roman forces, collecting taxes from other Jews. The Romans were not scrupulous about what the "tax farmers" got for themselves. Hence the latter, known as "publicans," were generally hated as traitors by their fellow Jews. The Pharisees lumped them with "sinners" (see Matthew 9:11-13). So it was shocking to them to hear Jesus call such a man to be one of his intimate followers. Matthew got Jesus in further trouble by having a sort of going-away party at his house. The Gospel tells us that "many" tax collectors and "those known as sinners" came to the dinner. The Pharisees were still more badly shocked. What business did the supposedly great teacher have associating with such immoral people? Jesus' answer was, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. Go and learn the meaning of the words, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" (Matthew 9:12b-13). Jesus is not setting aside ritual and worship; he is saying that loving others is even more important.

Coming events cast their shadows before: Gregory was the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome. Ordained a priest, he became one of the pope's seven deacons, and also served six years in the East as papal representative in Constantinople. He was recalled to become abbot, and at the age of 50 was elected pope by the clergy and people of Rome. He was direct and firm. He removed unworthy priests from office, forbade taking money for many services, emptied the papal treasury to ransom prisoners of the Lombards and to care for persecuted Jews and the victims of plague and famine. He was very concerned about the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his own monastery. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, for strengthening respect for doctrine. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of "Gregorian" chant is disputed. Gregory lived in a time of perpetual strife with invading Lombards and difficult relations with the East. When Rome itself was under attack, he interviewed the Lombard king. An Anglican historian has written: "It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great." His book, Pastoral Care, on the duties and qualities of a bishop, was read for centuries after his death. He described bishops mainly as physicians whose main duties were preaching and the enforcement of discipline. In his own down-to-earth preaching, Gregory was skilled at applying the daily gospel to the needs of his listeners. Called "the Great," Gregory has been given a place with Augustine, Ambrose and Jerome as one of the four key doctors of the Western Church.

“Can anything good ever come out of Nazareth?” This is certainly a question for the ages and St. Bartholomew the Apostle asked it in the first century; when he heard his friend, St. Philip, speak about the Messiah from Nazareth. There is not much known of St. Bartholomew, he only appears in the gospel occasionally. We do know that he was born, in the first century of Hebrew descent, the son of Tolmai, in the Province of Iudaca. Although a non-believer, St. Bartholomew often known as Nathaniel accepted the invitation of St. Philip to meet Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus immediately recognized St. Bartholomew “as a man in whom there is no deception.” Jesus told Bartholomew that before Philip had introduced them, he had seen him under the fig tree, apparently a Jewish term for studying the Torah. St. Bartholomew was said to have been very well liked among the apostles and very inquisitive. He constantly barraged Jesus with questions about God, angels and mysteries. Jesus promised him “Amen, Amen, I say to you, you will see the heavens open and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” St. Bartholomew finally recognized Jesus as the King of Israel and accepted him as the Son of God. He joined the chosen ones as the sixth apostle. Bartholomew and the eleven others were together in Bethany at Mount Olive, forty days after the resurrection to witness the Ascension. After the Ascension, Bartholomew traveled to Ethiopia, India, Persia and Armenia. He is reputed to have spread Christianity to the East, leaving copies of the gospel of Matthew as he went. Among his hundreds of converts, were the King of Armenia, Polymius, and many of his subjects. This met with disapproval of the King’s brother, Astyages, who immediately sentenced Bartholomew to death. He died a martyr’s death, as did so many of the apostles, by being flayed alive and beheaded. This is why we see him represented in Michelangelo’s painting of “The Last Judgment” in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. He is holding a knife in one hand and the skin of his body in the other. St. Bartholomew is the Patron Saint of tanners and we celebrate his Feast Day on August 24th.

If someone asked if you to describe your political leaders or country rulers would you be able to say they are spiritual ambassadors who stand up for the sanctity of marriage and have an uncanny need to help the poor. Even to the extent of pulling money from their own pockets and giving it to them? St. Stephen of Hungary was one such ruler. He used his considerable political and military skills to help Christianize the country and is the most important of Hungary's Christian Kings and their spiritual patron. Born to a pagan family, he was baptized when he was 10 years old. His father who was baptized at the same time as his son, was Chief of the Magyars, a group of raiders who had migrated to the Danube are a century before. When he succeeded his father he established Christianity as the official religion of his country for both political and religious reasons. He petitioned Pope Silvester II to provide for the Church's organization in Hungary and also requested that the Pope confer the title of King upon him. The Pope agreed and he was crowned on Christmas day in the year 1001. Stephen now King instituted a system of tithes to help support Churches and Pastors as well as help relive the poor. He established a law declaring that one out of every ten towns in his kingdom must now build a church support a priest. He abolished pagan customs and commanded all to marry, except for clergy and religious and made blasphemy and adultery crimes. He became a celebrity king to his people and was easily accessible to his entire kingdom. He had a special devotion to the poor and would often disguise himself as to not draw a large crowd so he could personally spend time and distribute alms to the poor and downtrodden people of Hungary. In 1031 when his son Emeric died Stephen mourned for a very long time, which took a toll on his health. Not having any other children he could not find anyone among his remaining relatives who would rule. His cousin and nephews who he had suspected to be following pagan customs attempted to assassinate Stephen as to steal the crown but they failed. On the feast of the Assumption on August 15 in the year 1038, without a living heir, on his deathbed he raised his right hand holding the Holy Crown of Hungary bestowed upon him by the Pope and prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking her to take the Hungarian people as her subjects and become their Queen. We now celebrate his feast day one day later on August 16th.