Today we remember St. Matthias, the “new” twelfth Apostle who chosen to replace Judas and minister to God’s people
Reflections on the readings for the Feast of St. Matthias (May 14, 2022): ACTS 1:15-17,20-26; PS 113:1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8; JN 15:9-17
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
“This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15: 12-13)
St. Mathias is unusual among the Apostles because it was not Christ who directly called him, but the rest of Apostles and a number of our Lord’s earliest followers. After Judas’ betrayal and death, they wanted someone to take his place among them. St. Peter made it clear that the person had to be one who had known and followed Jesus during His entire public ministry. He had to be a witness -- one who had seen and heard and believed in our Savior. They wanted an Apostle who would testify to the truth that Jesus was the Son of God as well as Man, who had suffered, died, and risen from the dead. After two men were proposed, the 120 people gathered together prayed and cast lots. And so Matthias joined the Twelve. Like most of his fellow Apostles, we know hardly anything more about him, except that he was, indeed, a sincere disciple of Jesus. He is thought to have brought the Good News to Asia Minor where he was martyred. His relics may have been brought to Rome by St. Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine.
Once more, in contemplating the Apostles and many of His other loyal disciples, we realize how little we know about the majority of them. But, in what ultimately matters, we know enough. They gave up their old way of life, their work, their family. Moreover, they gave up their own preferences, where they would go, how they would spend their time, who they would meet. Jesus was their teacher and, in time, they learned He was so much more. While they were with Him on earth and, especially, after He returned to Heaven, they did what He asked of them. They did not understand all He told them or all He did. But they still believed that He had truly been sent by the Father. And for all they had given up, they gained so much more. We hear Jesus say in today’s Gospel: “I have told you this so that My joy might be in you and your joy might be complete. This is My commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. … I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from My Father” (John 15:11-13,15). Our Lord would die for them and for all people. He would suffer and He expected them -- and all of us -- to be willing to suffer, too, in His service. That was true for St. Matthias, and for every follower of Christ who puts Him first in their life.
