Biographical Information about St. Matthias[1]
Readings for the Feast of St. Matthias [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
We are, on the Feast of Matthias, given the story of how he came to be called as the one to replace Judas. St. Peter assumes the leadership role noting that even the betrayal by Judas was predicted by Holy Scripture.
The two verses omitted (18,19) give St. Luke’s account of the death of Judas which differs from Matthew’s account (in Luke’s version, he buys property with his ill gotten gains and is killed in a gruesome fall). We see here how the Church’s tradition of selecting leaders from among the membership is developed with prayer and a vote.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (8) The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
A song of praise and thanksgiving, Psalm 113, in this selection, focuses appropriately on servants of the Lord and how these leaders are lifted up from “the lowly”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 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."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 15:9-17
This selection is part of the discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples. His words become a monologue and go beyond the immediate crisis of his departure. In this passage Jesus focuses on the chain of love from the Father, through the Son, to all the people. There is much made of the use of the difference in the Greek words for ‘love’ used in this discourse. When Jesus says ‘No one has greater love than this…’ the word agapao (intimate, selfless love) is used while when he says ‘You are my friends…’ the word phileo (casual ‘friendly’ (brotherly) type of love) is used. St. John uses the two words synonymously so the message is clear – reiterated at the end of the passage – ‘Love one another.’
The Church applies this scripture as the key means by which Christ selects an Apostle. These are the commandments most acutely given to those who will be the first to spread the word.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
From a purely historical perspective, not much is known about St. Matthias beyond the story of his selection provided in the first chapter of Acts. Tradition holds that he took the Gospel to barbarians in modern day Georgia and was crucified. Yet another tradition says he was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem. Regardless of his final disposition, it is clear he followed in the noble tradition of the assembly of Apostles who he joined as a full member.
The word that he carried, the path he chose, and the purpose he served at this critical time in the formation of the Church is what earns him our veneration and his esteemed position among the Saints. In the world of today it is hard of us to imagine the difficulties and challenges faced by those first Apostles. They were the ones who first brought the word of Christ – his message of love and the invitation to the Kingdom of God, to regions in which this message had never been heard before and was more frequently than not, badly received.
Matthias did not have the Holy Bible as a guide. The Gospels had not been written and the first Canon of the Bible would not be established for anther two hundred years. He had his knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures and his experience walking with Christ as his guide; some of which he may have written down and passed on.
A number of the Patristic Fathers and early Church historians make mention of a “Gospel of Matthias” but its text is lost and its authenticity challenged. The reality of the Gospel overarches the history of the Apostle’s later life. It was spread fearlessly. It found roots in the hearts and minds of people of good will in every nation and in every language. It continues to be spread through the shepherds of today’s Church – the Bishops, successors of the Twelve.
We inherit this tradition and the wealth of theological understanding developed by Matthias and the other Apostles. It is preserved in the Teaching Magisterium of the Church and faithfully handed on to us that we might hear the words of Christ with a proper disposition and understanding and live the faith purchased for us with such effort and sacrifice.
Pax
Readings for the Feast of St. Matthias [2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Acts 1:15-17, 20-26
We are, on the Feast of Matthias, given the story of how he came to be called as the one to replace Judas. St. Peter assumes the leadership role noting that even the betrayal by Judas was predicted by Holy Scripture.
The two verses omitted (18,19) give St. Luke’s account of the death of Judas which differs from Matthew’s account (in Luke’s version, he buys property with his ill gotten gains and is killed in a gruesome fall). We see here how the Church’s tradition of selecting leaders from among the membership is developed with prayer and a vote.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
R. (8) The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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.
or:
R. Alleluia.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
A song of praise and thanksgiving, Psalm 113, in this selection, focuses appropriately on servants of the Lord and how these leaders are lifted up from “the lowly”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 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."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 15:9-17
This selection is part of the discourse on the union of Jesus with his disciples. His words become a monologue and go beyond the immediate crisis of his departure. In this passage Jesus focuses on the chain of love from the Father, through the Son, to all the people. There is much made of the use of the difference in the Greek words for ‘love’ used in this discourse. When Jesus says ‘No one has greater love than this…’ the word agapao (intimate, selfless love) is used while when he says ‘You are my friends…’ the word phileo (casual ‘friendly’ (brotherly) type of love) is used. St. John uses the two words synonymously so the message is clear – reiterated at the end of the passage – ‘Love one another.’
The Church applies this scripture as the key means by which Christ selects an Apostle. These are the commandments most acutely given to those who will be the first to spread the word.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
From a purely historical perspective, not much is known about St. Matthias beyond the story of his selection provided in the first chapter of Acts. Tradition holds that he took the Gospel to barbarians in modern day Georgia and was crucified. Yet another tradition says he was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem. Regardless of his final disposition, it is clear he followed in the noble tradition of the assembly of Apostles who he joined as a full member.
The word that he carried, the path he chose, and the purpose he served at this critical time in the formation of the Church is what earns him our veneration and his esteemed position among the Saints. In the world of today it is hard of us to imagine the difficulties and challenges faced by those first Apostles. They were the ones who first brought the word of Christ – his message of love and the invitation to the Kingdom of God, to regions in which this message had never been heard before and was more frequently than not, badly received.
Matthias did not have the Holy Bible as a guide. The Gospels had not been written and the first Canon of the Bible would not be established for anther two hundred years. He had his knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures and his experience walking with Christ as his guide; some of which he may have written down and passed on.
A number of the Patristic Fathers and early Church historians make mention of a “Gospel of Matthias” but its text is lost and its authenticity challenged. The reality of the Gospel overarches the history of the Apostle’s later life. It was spread fearlessly. It found roots in the hearts and minds of people of good will in every nation and in every language. It continues to be spread through the shepherds of today’s Church – the Bishops, successors of the Twelve.
We inherit this tradition and the wealth of theological understanding developed by Matthias and the other Apostles. It is preserved in the Teaching Magisterium of the Church and faithfully handed on to us that we might hear the words of Christ with a proper disposition and understanding and live the faith purchased for us with such effort and sacrifice.
Pax
[1] The picture used is “The 13th Apostle, by John Gilmary Shea,. From Pictorial Lives of the Saints. 1889
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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