It's Not Luck
May 14: Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Today, we celebrate St. Matthias, the Apostle chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. According to Clement of Alexandria, Matthias was one of the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent out, although none were named in the Gospel.1
This event set the precedent for replacing apostles which eventually led to our understanding of bishops as successors to the Apostles.
Reading I
Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, “My brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. Judas was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. For it is written in the Book of Psalms: Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it. and: May another take his office.
Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day on which he was taken up from us, become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this apostolic ministry from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.” Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.
“Casting lots” is basically an old way of saying “drawing straws.” It sounds a little bit like gambling, but casting lots is an ancient tradition, going back at least as far as the Law given in Exodus.2
But notice that the Apostles aren’t just gambling. They prayed first. In fact, this is the first public prayer we have recorded since Jesus’ ascension. (Appropriately, Matthias is the first Apostle chosen since the ascension, as well.)
After debating the matter to the limits of their human understanding, they ask for God’s intervention to decide between these two men. It wasn’t just luck of the draw; they trusted the results would be the Will of God. We also have to trust in God’s plan, once we’ve done all that we can do.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps. 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
To seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
We can’t see God, but one way we can recognize His presence is by invoking His name: YHWH, rendered “LORD” in our English translations. God is ever present (“From the rising to the setting of the sun”) and everywhere (“High above all nations”), but in our limited perceptions, we don’t always recognize that. So psalms like this remind us to sing his praise.
Alleluia
See Jn 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
As much as we do love God, He loved us first.
Gospel
Jn 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.
“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. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.”
Most of the greatest figures of the Hebrew testament were called servants of God— Moses,3 Joshua,4 David;5 only Abraham was called a friend of God.6 So it’s a really big deal that Jesus calls his disciples friends.
It’s an even bigger deal that, just like Matthias was able to become an Apostle, we too are able to become Jesus’ friends.