St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

Jesus called Matthew out of a depraved lifestyle in which he had been taking from people, taxing them heavily, into a life in which he began giving to them freely, for he wrote  the Gospel and it has become the means whereby we learn of Jesus. Yet Matthew was not ashamed to admit the past out of which he came. For although Luke and Mark, in deference to him, record his call from the tax office by referring to him by another name, Levi, thus seeking to preserve his Christian integrity, Matthew himself uses the name by which he was now known: Matthew. For he who covers his sin shall not prosper, but he who confesses and turns from his sin shall have mercy, as the Book of Proverbs declares. Let us follow his example, never wishing to make a name for ourselves, but trusting only the merit of Christ. Sermon for  St. Matthew's  Day. The video is here.