Monday, February 25, 2008

Saint Matthias the Apostle


Today is the feast day of Saint Matthias the Apostle. This year his day was moved from February 24 to February 25 because the 24th fell on a Sunday. All Sundays are feast days of our Lord Jesus Christ, and nothing trumps a feast of Jesus.

It seems almost more appropriate that we celebrate Matthias' feast today when few people are looking, because we know so little about Matthias. We know from the Acts of the Apostles that Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot, who had betrayed Jesus and who had died at his own hand.

The rules for choosing a replacement were simple: the person chosen had to have been traveling with Jesus and the other disciples from the beginnings of his ministry. Two such people were found among their number, and the remaining eleven Apostles and others in the meeting said their prayers and cast lots -- tossed a coin -- drew straws -- threw dice -- to take the decision out of their own hands and put it into the hands of God.

So for a few minutes Matthias stepped into the spotlight, but he stepped out of it just as easily. I wonder how he would feel about being remembered all these years.


In peace,
Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

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