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Monday, May 13, 2013

May 14, 2013



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Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle 

Read more about St. Matthias


Lectionary: 564

Reading 1ACTS 1:15-17, 20-26

Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters
(there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons
in the one place).

The Apostles and disciples were in a bit of disarray.  They had gathered together in the upper room to pray when St. Peter stood up in office as leader of the Church to give some guidance.

He said, “My brothers and sisters,
the Scripture had to be fulfilled
which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand
through the mouth of David, concerning Judas,
who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.
Judas was numbered among us
and was allotted a share in this ministry.

St. Peter explains how Judas was elected by Jesus Christ to have a share in the ministry of the Gospel.

For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

Let his encampment become desolate,
and may no one dwell in it.
and:
May another take his office.

But now Judas has fallen and must be replaced.  He is here quoting Psalm 69:25 and Psalm 109:8

Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men 
who accompanied us the whole time 
the Lord Jesus came and went among us,
beginning from the baptism of John
until the day on which he was taken up from us,
become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas,
who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
Then they prayed,
“You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
show which one of these two you have chosen
to take the place in this apostolic ministry
from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.”
Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias,
and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.

Then the Apostles cast lots to learn the Lord's will as to who should replace Judas in the ministry of the Gospel.

Responsorial PsalmPS 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8

R. (8) The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high
and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor
To seat them with princes,
with the princes of his own people.
R. The Lord will give him a seat with the leaders of his people.
or:
R. Alleluia.

All authority is from God.  One of the errors that powerful men make is to believe that they brought themselves to power of their own ability.  They are there to fulfill the will of God and to fulfill their destiny.  Everything in this life is a test.  Will you use your life for the glory of God or for personal gain at the expense of your fellow man?  
Therefore, always give thanks to God for all that you have and do your best to do things in accordance with His will.  Otherwise, you will pay in the end.  As the Scripture says:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

GospelJN 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love 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 no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because 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,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”

Just as St. Matthias was chosen by God through the casting of lots, it is God who chooses us for good works in all aspects of our lives.  He calls us first and gives us faith.  We must exercise it in cooperation with His will.  Again, the Scripture says:
Romans 6:19-22
19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.  20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.  22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

5 comments:

  1. Hi De Maria,

    The Apostles and disciples were in a bit of disarray.

    What's the different between the apostles of Jesus and disciples of Jesus.

    Sincerely,Anna

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgotten to tell you, I share your daily reading on my fb without asking permission first.

      Peace.

      Delete
    2. You have permission. So does anyone else who wants to share this for the glory of God.

      And thank you,

      De Maria

      Delete
    3. The Apostles are the Twelve disciples which Jesus selected first and which He anointed as the leaders of the Church.
      Luke 9
      1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. 2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.

      The disciples are all who become students of Jesus Christ. There is another special group of disciples which was anointed by Jesus to go out two by two and preach the Gospel, healing as they went.
      Luke 10:1
      After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

      And then, there is another group of disciples which is about 120 which were in the upper room at the time of Pentecost and which compose the original Church:

      Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)

      Sincerely,

      De Maria

      Delete
  2. Thank you very much De Maria. It's clear for me now.

    Sincerely,Anna

    ReplyDelete

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