The Feast of St. Matthias, Friday, May 14, 2021

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.

Within a very short time of the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, we already see St. Peter very much the leader of the Apostles, decisive and conscious of his authority.  We also see the beginnings of a hierarchy structure of leadership and ministry, which will enable the Church to spread, doctrine to be uniform, and controversies to be settled quickly.  Here, we see Peter identifying a need of the Church and providing a persuasive argument towards taking care of it.  He sees the number twelve as signifying the integrity of the Apostles, and as the number specified very deliberately by the Lord.  To reestablish this integrity, according to the mind of Christ so that the mission of converting the world, he proposes a solution to which the others agree.  After praying, Matthias is chosen to take the place of the dead traitor Judas.  Matthias had been “a witness” to all the Lord had done in his public ministry and so was qualified to be considered.  He witnessed all the Lord had done because he had chosen to do so.  He had followed along with the crowd of disciples — a word that properly means “students”, whereas “Apostle” means “one who is sent forth”.  He would have given up his work and home to do this.  Jesus meant everything to him.

St. Matthias is said by the early Church historian Eusebius to have lived a celibate life.  The oldest traditions say that he preached mostly in Judea and that he was stoned and beheaded in Jerusalem.  Other traditions say that he preached in the northern regions of Asia Minor.