Vigil of the Feast of St. Matthew

(From a homily of St. Jerome, Priest: Commentary on Matthew, Bk. 1, Ch. 9)

"The other Evangelists, out of respect and reverence for Matthew would not call him by his ordinary name, but addressed him -- for he had two names -- as Levi. But Matthew refers to himself as Matthew. According to the words of Solomon, 'The just is the first accuser of himself,' and in another place, 'Confess your sins that you may be justified.' Accordingly, Matthew calls himself, in his Gospel, both Matthew and the publican, to show his readers that no one should despair of salvation who is converted to a better life, since he was himself changed suddenly from a publican to an apostle."