Feast of St Matthias

Acts 1:15-17.20-26, Jn 15:9-17. After Judas betrayed Jesus, the circle of the twelve Apostles was down to eleven. In today’s first reading, Peter’s testimony describe the role of this apostolic substitute, who appears in the Scripture almost as briefly as his fellow-candidate Joseph. There were twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve whom Jesus selected were the nucleus of the new Israel, the new people of God that would consist of Jews and non-Jews. What is striking about the selection of Matthias is the method by which the Apostles sought to discover the Divine will; they cast lots, a traditional form used by believing Jews. Matthias was chosen to replace Judas and to maintain the integrity of the original twelve. Whereas Jesus chose the original twelve, it was up to the first disciples to choose a replacement for Judas. They understood that this person would have to be someone who witnessed the public ministry of Jesus from the time of His baptism until the time of the ascension. Having nominated two suitable people from among the larger body of disciples they prayed asking the Lord to show them which of the two He had chosen.

There is an interesting mixture there of human judgement and prayer. Those early disciples had to use their own gifts of judgement and discernment but they also realised that they needed to pray, to ask the Lord for His enlightenment. In our lives we also need a blend of Divine intervention and human discernment. We have to use whatever gifts and experience the Lord has given us to see the next step we have to take; more fundamentally we have to entrust ourselves to the Lord in prayer.

May the Lord strengthen us and help us in our journey and path towards God, inspiring us to be more like Him in all our actions, words and deeds! Amen!! Have a glorious day!!!