St. Matthias - a Patron for Discerners?
This Thursday, May 14th, is the Solemnity of Our Lord’s Ascension into Heaven. But since our Diocese (like many others) transfers the observance of this feast to the 7th Sunday of Easter, we will be celebrating the 14th as the feast of St. Matthias the Apostle. What a marvelous “God-incidence,” since Matthias was actually elected to the Apostolic College shortly after the Ascension!
In honor of the occasion, enjoy some reflections that one of our Sisters wrote about this special Saint, the “13th Apostle.”
Matthias appears in Scripture in Acts 1:15-26, where he is chosen by lot as the successor to Judas Iscariot. There are so many things that could be said about this passage - its significance for the concept of apostolic succession, its emphasis on the authority of St. Peter, its connection with the Sacrament of Holy Orders, etc. But today I want to look at it from a slightly different angle: the beautiful and messy journey of vocational discernment.
When young men and women first start pondering the possibility of a priestly or religious vocation, all sorts of questions and fears may arise. What if I never figure it out? What if I get it wrong? How do I know when it’s God speaking and not just me? If you’ve had these thoughts, you’re certainly not the first! And in reading the story of Matthias, I can’t help but wonder if he went through this common discernment experience …
Imagine the scene - the disciples of Jesus are gathered together in the Upper Room. It’s crowded, perhaps a little uncomfortable, but filled with prayer and expectation of the coming “Gift of the Father.” Peter stands up and says what has been on many hearts but few lips: “We need a replacement for Judas.” Two men are put forward, Joseph Barsabbas Justus and Matthias. The lots are cast, they fall upon Matthias, he is ordained an Apostle, and that’s that.
But what was going on in Matthias’ mind while all this was happening? In lectio divina on this passage one day, I imagined him looking around in astonishment at this rapid turn of events, and some troubling thoughts creeping into his mind:
Is that it?
Are they sure they have the right person?
I’m not worthy of this - Justus was obviously better-qualified …
Maybe it was just a coincidence … How will I ever know for sure?
How often we ask ourselves similar questions on our vocational paths, when the Lord’s will isn’t crystal-clear. We may fret about whether a certain indication to move forward was really from God, or if it was just wishful thinking. We may think that we need more “signs” to be sure, just in case we are wrong.
Behind all this is a false idea - conscious or not - that we need absolute certainty to take that next step forward in our discernment. In reality, the Lord frequently uses gentle and subtle signs to invite us forward, and rarely does He speak in a more explicit and obvious way. He is a lover, who prefers to whisper rather than to shout (although he does occasionally resort to that, if it’s necessary to get our attention!). He calls us forward little by little, and if we misstep, He will close that door and redirect us elsewhere. There is no need to fear - the Good Shepherd can be trusted to lead us to where we’re meant to go!
Whether or not St. Matthias actually had these vocational worries, we know that he did not allow fear or a sense of unworthiness to get in the way of fulfilling his call. This 13th Apostle was not called directly by Christ, as the others were, and yet he was happy to accept God’s Will as manifested through the decision of the Church. He embraced his unexpected vocation, preaching the Gospel every bit as faithfully as the Eleven and eventually giving his life as a martyr for Christ.
St. Matthias, pray for us and for all discerners!