The Feast of St. Matthew, September 21

The Collect

O ALMIGHTY God, who by thy blessed Son didst call Matthew from the receipt of custom to be an Apostle and Evangelist; Grant us grace to forsake all covetous desires, and inordinate love of riches, and to follow the same thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
 
(Below are excerpts from a sermon by the Most Rev. John T. Cahoon, Jr., late Metropolitan, Anglican Catholic Church, Bishop Ordinary, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic States, and Rector, St. Andrew and St. Margaret of Scotland Anglican Catholic Church Alexandria, Virginia  given on September 21, 1997.)
 
"September 21 is the feast of St. Matthew. The Prayer Book calls him "Apostle," because he was one of the twelve original followers whom Jesus later sent out, and it calls him "Evangelist," because he wrote the first of the four New Testament gospels. We can properly also call him a martyr, because tradition tells us that he was put to death for his witness to Christ -- though our sources differ as to exactly where and when he died.

One of the church's greatest treasures is in the lives and examples of the saints and in the way they can influence us. People who name their children after saints are making a conscious gesture in that direction. . .

The Prayer Book's collect for any particular saint's day tries to focus our attention on some aspect of his life, and it usually encourages us to pray for the grace to act as he acted. St. Matthew's collect -- which is an original composition by Archbishop Cranmer -- prays that we will have God's help, "to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches; and to follow" Christ.
St. Matthew brings the issues of coveting and riches to our minds, because he was a tax collector. None of us is a particular fan of our present-day tax collectors, but tax collectors in first-century Israel were far worse. They worked for the despised Roman occupation government, their dealing with the Gentile Romans and handling coins with pagan images on them made them unclean, and they kept back a percentage of the money they collected for their own use.

Jesus walked by one day as Matthew was plying his trade, invited him to follow, and Matthew did just that. He gave up a job in which he was not only getting money rather unfairly but also exploiting his fellow Jews. He came in for further criticism when he invited Jesus to dinner to meet some of his fellow workers in the Roman IRS.

The mean-spirited, legalistic, killjoy Pharisees asked Matthew and other of Jesus' followers, 'If your master is so holy, why does he eat with tax collectors and other notorious sinners?' Jesus answers them himself, saying, 'I am talking to people who know they need what I have to give them. There would be absolutely no point in spending any time with you -- you think you are perfect already.'

The presence of Matthew among the disciples during the rest of Jesus' ministry made a very profound point for anyone who was paying attention. If Jesus could get an unclean, treacherous, rip-off artist like Matthew to turn himself around, there was hope for anybody. Jesus says, 'I will not turn my back on anyone who turns to me -- no matter what there is in his past.' That was true in the first century, and it remains true two thousand years later."

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven
Please click here to donate to St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland

Trinity XVI
 
Upcoming Events

Sunday Services, 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM, & 11:15 AM (for online participation for the services go to: https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland/ )

Sunday School at 10:30 AM

Wednesday at Noon – Holy Communion and anointing for healing (for online participation, check info under Sunday Services)

Next Vestry meeting, Monday September 25, 7:30 PM, all parishioners are invited

Annual Pet Blessing, Saturday, October 7, between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. To volunteer, please email Deacon Chris at scotlandsaints@gmail.com

Annual Parish Picnic, Sunday October 8 at Fort Hunt Park off George Washington Parkway, following a 10 AM combined service (no 9:00 AM or 11:15 AM services that day)
 
Food Donations 
Please help this month with a food donation if you are able. Christ House is very thankful for the food we provide to them each month. Please also buy low sugar cereals (and not the kid's types that have lots of sugar).  Current needs include the following:
• canned meats (chicken, corned beef, spam)
• peanut butter
• jelly
• tuna
• canned vegetables (corn, green beans - (regular and low sodium)
• individual fruit cups (low sugar)
• canned fruit (low sugar)
• cereal (low sugar)
• pasta (regular and gluten-free)
• instant potatoes
• Macaroni & cheese kits
• Coffee, cooking oil, flour, sugar 

The list for MaRIH Crisis Pregnancy Center's needs was recently updated.  The items in bold type are in critical need.  If you can, please donate those items.
 
Recently Updated List of Needs for MaRIH Center (crisis pregnancy center)
MaRIH Center with its all volunteer staff provides help to mothers-to-be and mothers in need.  If you can provide some of the items that are needed, please do so. (You can leave the donations where the food for the food bank is collected on the pew in the undercorft.)

Especially Needed
 In Bold and  * are a critical need.

Diapers (sizes newborn, 1, 2, 3, 4*, 5*, & 6*)
Lovies
Baby wipes
Diaper rash ointment
Fall/Winter Clothing:0-3 mo*, 3-6 mo*, 12-18 mo*, 2T*
Baby shampoo
Baby blankets*
Formula: Simulac Advance Formula*
Formula: other but not recalled
Wash clothes
Hooded towels
Grocery gift cards*
 
 
Copyright © 2023 St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland, All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
St. Andrew & St. Margaret of Scotland
1607 Dewitt Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301-1625