Saint Matthew: Open Heart to Open Heart

When in Medjugorje last week, we were given the opportunity to celebrate Mass in a church dedicated to the Divine Mercy. In the sanctuary hangs an icon of the image of Divine Mercy. I shared this with you before, but I want to mention it again in light of the Feast of Saint Matthew, which we celebrate today.

You see in the image how Jesus is standing before a door, depicting the words from the Book of Revelation wherein the Risen Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

The door is the door to our hearts. It opens only from the inside. He will not force Himself on us. We must allow Him. Saint Matthew allowed Jesus into his heart, and Saint Luke tells us that Jesus did indeed enter into Matthew’s home to dine with him.

And it must have been the Divine Mercy of Jesus that attracted Matthew and enabled him to follow. Matthew must have seen in Our Lord a merciful gaze that promised an unconditional love that desires to perfect the one who follows after Him.

Or, considering this powerful icon, Matthew must have seen that Jesus opens His own heart to us as He asks us to open our hearts to Him. +