May 14, 2024 - Feast of St. Matthias (replacing Tue. of 7th Week of Easter)
May you continue to respond to the Lord Jesus’ call to be His servant-friend who reaches out with the same love the Master-Teacher showed us and care for others so they can experience that love in their lives.
We have a mission – to love others as Jesus has loved, and continues to love, us. That’s quite a responsibility, one that we can only begin to fulfill. Yet there may be some individuals who will never experience the love of the Lord Jesus except if we model that love in our dealings with them. We become agents of the Lord Jesus. As Jesus’ agents, we make GOD’s presence felt by the loving service we give to those whom we encounter.
Since today’s feast has special readings, we do not read the first part of John 17 (which is the Gospel which would have been used if we were using the readings for the Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter).
I am also adding a reflection on John 17 (the chapter of John's Gospel which is normally read on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter). It is my reflection on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I have shared it before, but I thought it would be GOoD to share it again. It is six pages long, so you might want to read it as follows:
Tuesday: John 17: 1-11a
Wednesday: John 17: 11b-19
Thursday: John 17: 20-26
May you continue to respond to the Lord Jesus’ call to be His servant-friend who reaches out with the same love the Master-Teacher showed us and care for others so they can experience that love in their lives.
We have a mission – to love others as Jesus has loved, and continues to love, us. That’s quite a responsibility, one that we can only begin to fulfill. Yet there may be some individuals who will never experience the love of the Lord Jesus except if we model that love in our dealings with them. We become agents of the Lord Jesus. As Jesus’ agents, we make GOD’s presence felt by the loving service we give to those whom we encounter.
Since today’s feast has special readings, we do not read the first part of John 17 (which is the Gospel which would have been used if we were using the readings for the Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Easter).
I am also adding a reflection on John 17 (the chapter of John's Gospel which is normally read on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of the Seventh Week of Easter). It is my reflection on one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. I have shared it before, but I thought it would be GOoD to share it again. It is six pages long, so you might want to read it as follows:
Tuesday: John 17: 1-11a
Wednesday: John 17: 11b-19
Thursday: John 17: 20-26
Readings can be obtained from: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/051424.cfm
Saint Matthias: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-matthias
Readings: Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26; Psalm 113: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; John 15: 9-17
Today we celebrate the Feast of Matthias. Today’s First Reading takes place between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost. Since the suicide of Judas Iscariot, the number of apostles dropped to eleven. It is decided that someone should be appointed to make the number of Apostles be twelve again. Two men are selected: Joseph (a.k.a. Barsabbas, a.k.a. Justus) and Matthias. Lots are drawn and the one decided upon is Matthias.
The Gospel is part of the Last Supper discourse (and is specially chosen for the Feast of St. Matthias). In today’s pericope, Jesus commissions His disciples to keep His commandments, especially the commandment of loving one another. Jesus speaks about this key commandment
and remarks that no greater love does anyone have than being willing to lay down one’s life for another.
Jesus in today’s Gospel also reminds us that the choice of being His disciple and apostle is not the choice of the one who takes on this role. It is Jesus Who has first chosen the person for this privilege and responsibility. Both GOD’s gift and GOD’s election start the process. This is what raises the chosen ones from the role of slave to that of servant-friend. The response of the chosen one is to be faithful to the calling which GOD has given.
The readings and feast of the day should speak to all who desire a relationship with the Lord Jesus. It begins and ends with GOD. GOD calls us to be in relationship. Jesus picks us to be His disciples (disciplined learners) who will sit at His feet and learn from Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be apostles (people “sent out” on a “mission”). What an awesome and privileged gift and responsibility we have been given – to be GOD’s chosen ones. It ends with our being one with Jesus, forever in the house of His Abba-Father, Who happens to be GOD.
Once we accept this special relationship, this privilege of learning from the Master and the mission we are asked to undertake, then we will need to be martyrs (μαρτυροι – martyroi – “witnesses”) to what we have experienced. We need to live out the chief commandment which Jesus has given us and demonstrated for us: loving one another as He has loved us. That is the witnessing to which we are called – loving one another.
Loving one another is no simple thing of having “lovey-dovey” feelings for everyone. Loving one another is the willingness to do whatever it takes to bring the GOoD News of Jesus Christ to others. It means being willing to be a servant- friend. Jesus tells us that we are no longer slaves, but friends – servant-friends. A slave is under compulsion to do the work for the master. A servant-friend lovingly responds to the need of the Master-Teacher. The servant-friend wants to do whatever is necessary, so the work and mission of the Master-Teacher-Friend is carried on. The servant-friend will treat others just like the Master-Teacher- Friend: caring for others, working for their best physical and spiritual interests.
Twenty-one years ago, on the day before the feast of St. Matthias, I was reminded of what it means to be a servant-friend. That day (May 13, 2003) was a Tuesday. After leaving the house at 5:20 a.m., attending a Bible Study at 6:00 a.m., working at school from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., I decided to leave school “early” to get home early for a change, since the night before I had spent four hours taking a friend to the emergency room at the hospital. As I prepared to leave school, I called the friend and could not get a hold of the person. I drove the 45-minutes to the house of the friend and the person was not home. I talked to neighbors and was informed that an ambulance had taken the person away. After a few more phone calls, I discovered the hospital where my friend had been taken to the emergency room. I picked up the friend. We drove 45 minutes to the friend’s doctor’s office. The staff at the doctor’s office asked that I take the individual to the local hospital and its emergency room. After another four plus hours, the friend was admitted to the hospital near the doctor’s office, different from the hospital where the friend had been in the afternoon. I returned home at 10:30 p.m. While I spent the hours waiting in the emergency hospital, the friend kept saying, “Why are you doing this for me?” I could only respond that GOD had sent me to do whatever was necessary since this friend did not have any relatives in California. I was sent (“apostled”) to be the servant-friend to this person in need.
During the pandemic, we may not have been asked to take friends to a hospital and sit with them in the waiting room for four hours. Instead, we might have been asked to pick up supplies for an elderly person who cannot get out nor know how to have things remotely delivered. We might have been “chosen” to reach out online or through other social media to bring a word of encouragement. Prayer might have been our calling, as we lift up to GOD those who are in need of GOD’s protection and our prayers.
So today, we are reminded that the Eleven Apostles realized that they were being guided to continue the mission of Jesus. They were led to allow another person to complete their numbers so that the ministry of Jesus would continue. They were guided by the Holy Spirit to select one who could give witness to the life and teaching of Jesus.
This same process continues today – the process of recognizing the call of other witnesses, servant-friends, disciples, and apostles. It is the will of GOD to call and choose many others to be witnesses, servant-friends, disciples, and apostles. We should thank GOD for this election process so that the ministry and mission of Jesus can continue into the future. We should give praise that we, too, have been chosen by GOD to fulfill this special role of loving others as Jesus loves us. This is our calling, this is our election – elected by Jesus for role He wants us to do, this is our mission.
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever conscious of those whom You have called. Through Your GOoDness, You want others to share in the ministry and mission of Your Son – to announce Your GOoD News. You have given all authority and power to Jesus so that His message will continue to the ends of the earth and for all time. He has chosen individuals who have experienced the GOoD News in their own lives. He commissions them to carry on His work by giving witness to His unconditional love. He has given us an example of love by His willingness to lay down His life for others. We thank You, LORD GOD, for the way You have continued the spreading of the Gospel through the ages, by calling others to the roles of disciples, apostles, and servant-friends. We particularly express our gratitude for those who have shared their witnessing and faith with us and enabled us to come to this point in our journey to You. We ask that You make us even more aware of the empowerment we have received through the Holy Spirit, so that we can be witnesses of Your love to others. May we always come to our Master-Teacher-Friend and learn even more from Him as He teaches us and commissions us to announce the GOoD News, that He has received from You and passed on to us. May we realize even more fully the fact that You have called us and chosen us to share in the ministry and mission of Your Son, Jesus. May we give witness to all that we have received from You, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit. May our lives reflect the love You have given, so that others may accept Your gift of love. We make this prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus, Your Son, our Master-Teacher-Friend, our Savior, Who has called us as witnesses, disciples, apostles, and servant-friends, and Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Song of the Day: St. Theresa Prayer by John Michael Talbot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKALl6kv1U
Video of the Day: St. Matthias: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAunZ5QS_Rs
Reflection on John 17: https://reflectionsbybob.weebly.com/reflection-of-john-17.html
© rjk, 12-10-22
Saint Matthias: https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-matthias
Readings: Acts 1: 15-17, 20-26; Psalm 113: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; John 15: 9-17
Today we celebrate the Feast of Matthias. Today’s First Reading takes place between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost. Since the suicide of Judas Iscariot, the number of apostles dropped to eleven. It is decided that someone should be appointed to make the number of Apostles be twelve again. Two men are selected: Joseph (a.k.a. Barsabbas, a.k.a. Justus) and Matthias. Lots are drawn and the one decided upon is Matthias.
The Gospel is part of the Last Supper discourse (and is specially chosen for the Feast of St. Matthias). In today’s pericope, Jesus commissions His disciples to keep His commandments, especially the commandment of loving one another. Jesus speaks about this key commandment
and remarks that no greater love does anyone have than being willing to lay down one’s life for another.
Jesus in today’s Gospel also reminds us that the choice of being His disciple and apostle is not the choice of the one who takes on this role. It is Jesus Who has first chosen the person for this privilege and responsibility. Both GOD’s gift and GOD’s election start the process. This is what raises the chosen ones from the role of slave to that of servant-friend. The response of the chosen one is to be faithful to the calling which GOD has given.
The readings and feast of the day should speak to all who desire a relationship with the Lord Jesus. It begins and ends with GOD. GOD calls us to be in relationship. Jesus picks us to be His disciples (disciplined learners) who will sit at His feet and learn from Him. The Holy Spirit empowers us to be apostles (people “sent out” on a “mission”). What an awesome and privileged gift and responsibility we have been given – to be GOD’s chosen ones. It ends with our being one with Jesus, forever in the house of His Abba-Father, Who happens to be GOD.
Once we accept this special relationship, this privilege of learning from the Master and the mission we are asked to undertake, then we will need to be martyrs (μαρτυροι – martyroi – “witnesses”) to what we have experienced. We need to live out the chief commandment which Jesus has given us and demonstrated for us: loving one another as He has loved us. That is the witnessing to which we are called – loving one another.
Loving one another is no simple thing of having “lovey-dovey” feelings for everyone. Loving one another is the willingness to do whatever it takes to bring the GOoD News of Jesus Christ to others. It means being willing to be a servant- friend. Jesus tells us that we are no longer slaves, but friends – servant-friends. A slave is under compulsion to do the work for the master. A servant-friend lovingly responds to the need of the Master-Teacher. The servant-friend wants to do whatever is necessary, so the work and mission of the Master-Teacher-Friend is carried on. The servant-friend will treat others just like the Master-Teacher- Friend: caring for others, working for their best physical and spiritual interests.
Twenty-one years ago, on the day before the feast of St. Matthias, I was reminded of what it means to be a servant-friend. That day (May 13, 2003) was a Tuesday. After leaving the house at 5:20 a.m., attending a Bible Study at 6:00 a.m., working at school from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., I decided to leave school “early” to get home early for a change, since the night before I had spent four hours taking a friend to the emergency room at the hospital. As I prepared to leave school, I called the friend and could not get a hold of the person. I drove the 45-minutes to the house of the friend and the person was not home. I talked to neighbors and was informed that an ambulance had taken the person away. After a few more phone calls, I discovered the hospital where my friend had been taken to the emergency room. I picked up the friend. We drove 45 minutes to the friend’s doctor’s office. The staff at the doctor’s office asked that I take the individual to the local hospital and its emergency room. After another four plus hours, the friend was admitted to the hospital near the doctor’s office, different from the hospital where the friend had been in the afternoon. I returned home at 10:30 p.m. While I spent the hours waiting in the emergency hospital, the friend kept saying, “Why are you doing this for me?” I could only respond that GOD had sent me to do whatever was necessary since this friend did not have any relatives in California. I was sent (“apostled”) to be the servant-friend to this person in need.
During the pandemic, we may not have been asked to take friends to a hospital and sit with them in the waiting room for four hours. Instead, we might have been asked to pick up supplies for an elderly person who cannot get out nor know how to have things remotely delivered. We might have been “chosen” to reach out online or through other social media to bring a word of encouragement. Prayer might have been our calling, as we lift up to GOD those who are in need of GOD’s protection and our prayers.
So today, we are reminded that the Eleven Apostles realized that they were being guided to continue the mission of Jesus. They were led to allow another person to complete their numbers so that the ministry of Jesus would continue. They were guided by the Holy Spirit to select one who could give witness to the life and teaching of Jesus.
This same process continues today – the process of recognizing the call of other witnesses, servant-friends, disciples, and apostles. It is the will of GOD to call and choose many others to be witnesses, servant-friends, disciples, and apostles. We should thank GOD for this election process so that the ministry and mission of Jesus can continue into the future. We should give praise that we, too, have been chosen by GOD to fulfill this special role of loving others as Jesus loves us. This is our calling, this is our election – elected by Jesus for role He wants us to do, this is our mission.
- The personal question/action for today: To whom am I called to be a servant-friend today? How can I give witness to that person and let them know that I am loving them because I have experienced the love Jesus has for me? Can people tell by the way I treat them that I am disciple of the Lord Jesus?
Blessed are You, LORD GOD, ever conscious of those whom You have called. Through Your GOoDness, You want others to share in the ministry and mission of Your Son – to announce Your GOoD News. You have given all authority and power to Jesus so that His message will continue to the ends of the earth and for all time. He has chosen individuals who have experienced the GOoD News in their own lives. He commissions them to carry on His work by giving witness to His unconditional love. He has given us an example of love by His willingness to lay down His life for others. We thank You, LORD GOD, for the way You have continued the spreading of the Gospel through the ages, by calling others to the roles of disciples, apostles, and servant-friends. We particularly express our gratitude for those who have shared their witnessing and faith with us and enabled us to come to this point in our journey to You. We ask that You make us even more aware of the empowerment we have received through the Holy Spirit, so that we can be witnesses of Your love to others. May we always come to our Master-Teacher-Friend and learn even more from Him as He teaches us and commissions us to announce the GOoD News, that He has received from You and passed on to us. May we realize even more fully the fact that You have called us and chosen us to share in the ministry and mission of Your Son, Jesus. May we give witness to all that we have received from You, Your Son, and the Holy Spirit. May our lives reflect the love You have given, so that others may accept Your gift of love. We make this prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus, Your Son, our Master-Teacher-Friend, our Savior, Who has called us as witnesses, disciples, apostles, and servant-friends, and Who is living and reigning with You and the Holy Spirit, our one and only GOD, for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluia!
Song of the Day: St. Theresa Prayer by John Michael Talbot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKALl6kv1U
Video of the Day: St. Matthias: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAunZ5QS_Rs
Reflection on John 17: https://reflectionsbybob.weebly.com/reflection-of-john-17.html
© rjk, 12-10-22