in the background
"Then they drew lots between the two men. The choice fell to Matthias, who was added to the eleven apostles." —Acts 1:26
Matthias was with Jesus from the baptism of John till the Ascension (Acts 1:22). He was in that group of nameless disciples who accompanied Jesus, but was not chosen by Jesus as an apostle. He saw people like Matthew, Simon the Zealot, Thomas, Judas, and Peter chosen before Him. He was not included in the Last Supper or in meeting the risen Christ on the first Easter Sunday night.
After years of standing in the background, Matthias was chosen to take Judas' place. This was an extremely important and sensitive position after the trauma of Judas' suicide. It seems that Matthias' apostleship was a necessary preparation for Pentecost.
You may be another Matthias. You have faithfully served the Lord for years but feel unappreciated. The Lord has a special place for you in His plan. You must patiently wait for it to unfold. In our Father's house, there are many places. Jesus is preparing a place for you (Jn 14:2). You are the only one who can take that place. Serve God in humility now and prepare yourself for even greater things in the near future.
Prayer: Father, may I rejoice that my life is hidden in Christ (Col 3:3).
Promise: "It was not you who chose Me, it was I Who chose you to go forth and bear fruit." —Jn 15:16
Praise: Although St. Matthias only appears once in the entire Bible (Acts 1:23-26), his name is forever memorialized, written on the stones of the foundation of the eternal heavenly Jerusalem (Rv 21:14).
Reference: (To grow as a disciple and be a strong witness, you may be called to "come away for a little while." We offer summer Discipleship Retreats June 24-July 16, 2005. For information or to register, call 937-587-5464 or e-mail retreats@presentationministries.com)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 12, 2004
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