Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Several weeks ago, I was having dinner with a friend after work. We had not seen each other in about three months, so we had plenty of catching up to do. Among many other things, I was extremely excited to tell him all about my recent involvements with youth ministry and the upcoming meetings and events that we had planned for the months ahead. Knowing my passion for God and youth ministry, my friend told me, “Man, you should just start your own church already!” I shyly laughed off what my friend had meant as a well meaning compliment and we continued catching up and enjoying each other’s company. However, I was admittedly taken aback by his comment, mostly because “my own church” was the last thing that I wanted. It was the Church that Jesus, my Lord, had instituted that had captivated my heart. That is the Church that I want to serve as a disciple and that is the very same Church that we see in today’s readings.
In today’s first reading from Acts, we see the early Church selecting a replacement for the office that Judas once held. It’s obvious from this first reading that the eleven apostles had been set apart from the rest of the early Catholic Church with respect to the ministry positions that they held. Peter refers to this ministry as an “apostolic ministry” and quotes Psalm 109 in calling the position previously held by Judas as an actual “office.” With this office, came authority given by Christ! Saint Clement of Alexandria, a second century theologian, points the following out regarding the appointment of Matthias: “Not that they became apostles through being chosen for some distinguished peculiarity of nature, since also Judas was chosen along with them. But they were capable of becoming apostles on being chosen by Him who foresees even ultimate issues. Matthias, accordingly, who was not chosen along with them on showing himself worthy of becoming an apostle, is substituted for Judas.” (Stromateis vi.13) In other words, Saint Clement reminds us that it wasn’t because of anything that Matthias had done or that he was worthy for this office, but rather because God foresaw who he was capable of becoming. In this way, Matthias puts himself into service of the Apostolic Church founded on Christ and becomes a “witness to His resurrection.”
Just as Matthias is appointed in the first reading, Jesus reminds the first apostles of their own appointment in today’s Gospel from John. Jesus tells the apostles that “I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain.” Indeed, we believe that everything Jesus had received from the Father was given to the twelve. Everything! In the same way, we also believe that everything that the apostles heard from Jesus was passed on to those who would continue their ministry. This is apostolic succession at its core! And this is how we are assured that the truth that has been given to us, is the truth taught by Christ. And although it may seem that the apostles were arbitrarily choosing a replacement for Judas in today’s first reading, if we take a closer look we see that they believed with great confidence that it was still Jesus doing the choosing as they prayed, “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen.” In this Apostolic Church to which we belong, we must remind ourselves that it was Christ who chose the first apostles, it was Christ who chose their successors, and it is Christ who calls us to bear fruit as disciples as well.
As I previously mentioned, “my own church” is the last thing that I would want because the Church is not individualistic. In the Church, we belong to something much bigger than ourselves, which is the Body of Christ! Therein lies the beauty of the Apostolic Church, knowing that we have received everything from Christ and can therefore take credit for none of it. Yet, as much as the Church is Apostolic as we see in today’s readings, the Church is equally personal! It is indeed “my” Church because it belongs to me in an intimate way, just as I belong to it. It is indeed “my” Church because through the Church I find and foster “my” personal relationship with Jesus. But there is a grave difference between having “personal” relationship with Jesus and an “individualistic” relationship, and it is the same exact difference between “my” church and “my own” church. As disciples, our personal relationship with Christ cannot exist outside of our relationships with each other because through our Apostolic Church we are all connected to the same vine- Jesus!
St. Ignatius wrote to the Smyrnaeans about 80 years after the resurrection that “You should all follow the bishop as Jesus Christ did the Father… Nobody must do anything that has to do with the Church without the bishop’s approval!” Wow! Today, I find myself humbled and blessed to belong to the Church founded by Christ, my Savior. I am grateful for my priests, especially those who have mentored me over the years. I am grateful for my Bishop, who continues to instruct and guide the Church. And I am grateful for the Pope Benedict, who encourages me as a young Catholic to evangelize, to know my faith, and to seek after Christ in the modern world. Let us all take some time today to thank God for our Pope, Bishops, Priests, Deacons, and all those serving in ministry and pray that our one, holy, catholic, and apostalic church may bear much fruit as Jesus instructed us to do! Amen.
-Ryan J. Mahle