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TODAY’S WORD…

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As Jesus was walking along,

He saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth;

and He said to him, “Follow me.”

And he got up and followed Him.

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– Matthew 9:9

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REFLECTION…

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“Follow me.”

It is not a command that Jesus gives to Matthew,

but a simple loving invitation…a whisper, almost.

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Matthew’s decision to just get up and follow Jesus,

can sound almost unreasonable and impossible to some of us.

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Matthew, was a shrewd tax collector,

well-to-do and with good connections to the ruling Romans.

He had so much to lose.

How on earth could he just hear two words, “Follow me”,

and suddenly decide to do just that?

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Being the street-wise man he was,

he realised that this invitation was coming from someone special

and that this invitation had been made with love and truth.

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Matthew knew the truth when he saw or heard it,

and he felt he had to decide one way or another.

He decided to follow Jesus.

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“Follow me.”

This is the same invitation that Jesus makes to each one of us.

The decision to accept or not, is left entirely up to us.

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Today, now, let us tell the Lord, “Here I am, Lord, I have decided!”

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PRAYER (in Maltese)…

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Iddeċidejt Mulej. (I have decided, Lord.)

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Iddeċidejt Mulej li ħajti rrid nagħtik

Jien noffrilek lili nnifsi kif jien.

Ħudni f’idejk u agħmel bija dak li trid,

Kun int Mulej is-Sid ta’ ħajti.

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Hawn jien Mulej, jien lest għalik u għal kull ma trid.

Hawn jien Mulej, b’imħabba kbira għalik.

Hawn jien Mulej, u kkmandani dak li trid.

Hawn jien Mulej, iddeċidejt.

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Hawn jien Mulej, iddeċidejt.

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[The prayer is taken from a Maltese song of worship – “Iddeċidejt Mulej” (Lit “Lord, I have decided”) – by Tiziana Grech nee Dimech © 1989 Tiziana Dimech]

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Here I am, Lord, I have decided to follow You!

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