Apostle (First Century)
His life
+ The Acts of the Apostles tell us that Matthias was a “witness of the Lord’s ministry and Resurrection”
+ Matthias was chosen to take the place of Judas Iscariot as one of the Twelve Apostles (Acts 1:15-26) and he was present on Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles.
+ According to some ancient traditions, Matthias preached the Gospel in Ethiopia. Other traditions say that he ministered in the region of Cappadocia (in modern-day Turkey).
+ Saint Matthias is honored as a martyr and his relics are enshrined in the Abbey of St. Matthias in Trier, Germany.
For prayer and reflection
“we want to remember he who, after Easter, was elected in place of the betrayer. In the Church of Jerusalem two were proposed to the community, and then lots were cast for their names: “Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias” (Acts 1: 23).
Precisely the latter was chosen, hence, “he was enrolled with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1: 26). We know nothing else about him, if not that he had been a witness to all Jesus’ earthly events (cf. Acts 1: 21-22), remaining faithful to him to the end. To the greatness of his fidelity was later added the divine call to take the place of Judas, almost compensating for his betrayal.”—Pope Benedict XVI
Spiritual bonus
On this day we also remember Saints Felix and Fortunatus. These two brothers were martyred together in Aquileia, Italy, in the year 296.
Prayer
O God, who assigned Saint Matthias
a place in the college of Apostles,
grant us, through his intercession,
that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us,
we may merit to be numbered among the elect.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal)
Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
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