"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you." - Jesus, Jn 15:16
Caption
After Judas Iscariot's betrayal and death, the eleven remaining apostles needed to restore their number to twelve. Peter stood up among them and said the replacement must be one who had walked with Jesus from his baptism through his ascension. Two men were proposed: Justus and Matthias. They prayed. They cast lots. The lot fell to Matthias. We know almost nothing about him. Tradition says he preached in Cappadocia and along the Caspian coast, that he was eventually martyred for his witness. What we do know is the Gospel chosen for his feast: "It was not you who chose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit." (Jn 15:16) Matthias did not seek out his vocation. It found him. So with us. The call to holiness in your life... your marriage, your work, your hidden suffering... was placed there by Christ before you were aware.
