Thoughts on the election of St. Matthias to succeed Judas: First, the Jesus Movement at the time of his death consisted of a group of about one hundred and twenty persons. We need to expand our notion of the “apostolic faith” to include more that “the twelve,” women and men, married and single. Second, after carefully discerning the criteria on which to base their decision, in the end it was a crap shoot, they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias. Discerning the will of God is often like that. You try to figure out the various pros and cons but often you just take a leap. Finally, after Matthias no member of “the twelve” was replaced — they were symbols, not officials.
MAY142021
By Church Staff
