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Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Saint Matthias
Apostle
Feastday: May 14
How does one qualify to be an apostle?
The first act of the apostles after
the Ascension
of Jesus was to find a
replacement for Judas. With all the questions, doubts, and dangers facing them,
they chose to focus their attention on finding a twelfth apostle. Why was this
important? Twelve was a very important number to the Chosen People: twelve was
the number of the twelve tribes of Israel. If the new Israel was to come from
the disciples of Jesus, a twelfth apostle was
needed.
But Jesus had
chosen the original twelve. How could they know whom he would choose?
One hundred and twenty people were gathered for prayer and reflection in the upper
room, when Peter stood up to propose the way to make the choice.
Peter had one criterion, that, like Andrew, James, John, and
himself, the new apostle
be someone who had been a disciple from
the very beginning, from his baptism by John until the
Ascension. The reason
for this was simple, the new apostle would
must become a witness
to Jesus' resurrection. He must have followed Jesus before anyone knew him,
stayed with him when he made enemies, and believed in him when he spoke of the
cross and of eating his body -- teachings that had made others melt away.
Two men fit this description -- Matthias and Joseph called Barsabbas. They knew that both these men had been with them
and with Jesus through his
whole ministry. But which one had the heart to become a witness to
his resurrection. The apostles knew
that only the Lord
could know what was in the heart of each. They cast lots in order to discover
God's will
and Matthias was chosen. He was the twelfth apostle and the
group was whole again as they waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
That's the first we hear of Matthias in Scripture, and the last.
Legends like the Acts
of Andrew and Matthias testify to Matthias' enthusiastic embrace of all that
being an apostle
meant including evangelization, persecution, and death in the service of the
Lord.
How does one qualify to be an apostle?
Clement of Alexandria says
that Matthias, like all the other apostles, was not chosen by Jesus for what he already was,
but for what Jesus foresaw he
would become. He was elected not because he was worthy but because he would
become worthy. Jesus chooses
all of us in the same way. What does Jesus want you to become?
In His
Footsteps:
Have you ever felt like an afterthought, a latecomer? Or have you
ever resented someone new who was added to your group? Try to see your
community as not complete without the newcomer, whether you or someone else.
Welcome any newcomers to your parish, work, or family community
this week as someone chosen by God.
Prayer:
Saint Matthias, pray that we may become worthy witnesses to the
resurrection of Jesus in the
way we live the eternal life we have right now.
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