Acts 1:15-26
Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, "Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus-- for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry." (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. This became known to all the residents of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Hakeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) "For it is written in the book of Psalms,
and
- `Let his homestead become desolate,
- and let there be no one to live in it';
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us-- one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.
- `Let another take his position of overseer.'
Philippians 3:13-21 (NRSV)
This one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.
Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us. For many live as enemies of the cross of Christ; I have often told you of them, and now I tell you even with tears. Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.
John 15:1,6-16 (NRSV)
Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved 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 do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.
Blog Reflection
If you had been a person who followed Jesus from his baptism, through his death, resurrection and ascension, what might your reaction be to having the lots cast by the Apostles for Judas' successor fall on you? What would your reaction be if the lot did not fall on you?
When I think of the Apostles casting lots to select their new member, I think of them gathered in a circle with Justis and Matthias standing side by side waiting to see what happens. Keep in mind that Pentecost had not yet happened. So they were still awaiting the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus promised the Apostles before he ascended. I am sure there was a slight feeling of panic and anticipation in both Justis and Matthias.
What if you had been either Justis or Matthias?
If you were Justis, not having the lot fall on you, might have felt like not winning the $10,000.00 prize on Food Network Challenge. You put your heart and soul into doing a good job, with your best out in the open, but you still did not make the cut. Perhaps we would be still willing to follow the work of the Apostles and take part in their work. Perhaps Justis was also with the Apostles and received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
If you were Matthias, you would have been very happy and excited. I also believe that you would have some great fears and anxieties about what you had just gotten yourself into. Watching things from a distance, is nothing like finally getting into the game. Now there is no running away from what your life's work will be. You have work to do. You have a community to give your time and attention to. You are now serving Jesus Christ, by proclaiming his message of grace and salvation to a lost world.
I think it is very important to not think of Matthias as on the in crowd, and some how Justis is on the out crowd. Regardless of whether we are lay people, a Bishop, Priest or Deacon we all share the in the work of representing Christ and the Church in whatever capacity God has placed us. So says our Catechism or Outline of the Faith on pages 855 & 856 in the Book of Common Prayer. We are all an order of ministry. We all have our work to do.
As we continue through Lent, as we pause on this Friday after Ash Wednesday with this Feast of St. Matthias, we are called to the ministry of hospitality and reconciliation. We are called to come before God, confess our sins, receive God's grace and mercy and go forth in Christ's Name to love and serve in peace and faithfulness.
What does it mean to live as an enemy of the Cross?
When we make use of the Cross to suggest that no one but a certain class or type of person should be there unless they fit our standards, our representation is one of hostility towards what the Cross is really about. It is much too easy to forget that the Cross "pours contempt on all our pride (see Hymnal 1982 #474 verse 1). Pride being our need to exalt ourselves above others who are different from ourselves.
Among the best ways that we honor what the Cross is about, is by taking our place with the tax collector in Luke 18: 9-14, who said: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" We are all before God's grace as those who follow Jesus Christ, right to the Cross, because we are in need of God's mercy and forgiveness. Forgiveness for those times when we exalt ourselves, only to be humbled. We pray that we might be the example of humility, set in Chapter 7 of the Rule of St. Benedict. There he describes our life as a ladder reaching up to heaven. Our bodies and souls make up the sides of the ladder Not as some kind of dualism, but as one in relationship to the other. We ascend on the ladder in humility. We descend on the ladder when we exalt ourselves. The vocation of our Baptismal Covenant and the application of the Gospel through out our lives in humility and discipline make up the twelve steps of the ladder.
The point here, is to live with an awareness of God in such a way, that the only thing in life that really attracts us is to love others as God loves us. To love in such a way, that we seek the common good of all people, even those who are unique. To love each other with a sacrificial love, as Christ loves all of us, is the way of the Cross,and is what humility is all about. We are ready to give of ourselves as a token of love so that no one may go away thinking that they are not included, valued and desired by the heart of God, in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons, along with women, individuals of diverse classes, races, health levels, languages, cultures, income levels, immigrant statuses have all experienced some level of being "outside" the possibility of a true Christian vocation, unless they embrace the ideals of white, Christian, European/American society. It is a litmus test to being included in the ministry and life of the Church that every person not be different than that set of criteria by which we classify other people. This kind of thing, which sadly is not totally gone from our contemporary Church, shows us to be enemies of the Cross. By which our "god is our belly and our glory is our shame, our minds are set on earthly things. Though our citizenship is in heaven."
This time of Lent and this Holy Day, remind us that any one of us can be chosen by God to serve others by our willingness to love others as Christ loves us. The question we all must ask and answer is; are we willing to let God take off the limits we place on ourselves with such high expectations, which we project on to others? As God accepts and loves us, so should we be willing to learn to love others.
Where are we on answering such questions?
Prayers
Almighty God, who in the place of Judas chose your faithful
servant Matthias to be numbered among the Twelve: Grant that
your Church, being delivered from false apostles, may always
be guided and governed by faithful and true pastors; through
Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the
unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (St. Matthias, Book of Common Prayer, p. 239).
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have
made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and
make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily
lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission
and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives
and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever
and ever. Amen. (Ash Wednesday, Book of Common Prayer, p. 217).
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but
first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he
was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way
of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and
peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Fridays, Book of Common Prayer, p. 97).
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on
the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within
the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit
that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those
who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for
the honor of your Name. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, p. 101).
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