The Ascension and St. Matthias

 The Ascension and St. Matthias 

We celebrate both the Ascension and St. Matthias today. Of course, some dioceses will not celebrate the Ascension until Sunday. Traditionally (and properly) the Feast of the Ascension falls on the fortieth day after Easter. Since Easter is always a Sunday, the fortieth day is always a Thursday. May14th itself is also the date of the Feast of St. Matthias. He took the place of Judas, who had betrayed The Lord and then killed himself. In the Scriptural account the election of Matthias comes in between the Ascension of Jesus into Heaven and the sending of the Holy Spirit at Pentacost.  

We sometimes refer to the latter feast as the “Birthday of the Church.” An immediate result is that Peter and the others take up their mission with a vigor and confidence that was not previously visible.  But just as the first miracle of Jesus takes place at Cana before His “hour has come,” as He tells His mother Mary, in the selection of Matthias we see the Church acting as The Church even before she has fully taken up her mission.

I once heard a homily that compared the Ascension to a graduation or commencement. It’s an event that marks a movement on to higher level.  Following the Ascension, Christ would now be working not just in Galilee and Judea, but in and for the whole world. It also marks the way for His followers, who will, as the Church, become part of his Mystical Body. It is just at this point that we meet St. Matthias.  

 The Selection of Matthias 

The only mention of Matthias in Holy Scripture (at least by that name) appears in the Acts of the Apostles:

In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus.  For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry . . . For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it’; and ‘His office let another take.’  So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us–one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.”

And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:15-26)

The Ongoing Mission 

As an Apostle Mathias was ipso facto an important person. There are various traditions identifying him with other names that come up in the New Testament, and about his ministry and martyrdom. The passage above, however, is the only canonical information we have.  Which is to say that whatever importance he had in his own time, a large part of his significance for us lies in the very fact and manner of his selection.

So, what do we see in this passage?  We see Peter taking the initiative. He presides and authoritatively interprets Scripture. Also, it’s clear that the Apostles hold an office that someone must fill when another relinquishes it. They all accept that the Holy Spirit is guiding their choice. It is also concrete confirmation that Jesus’ mission didn’t end when he passed from the world. His followers must carry it forward.

 Following Christ 

This passage and others like it were very important to me at the time of my reversion to the Church. That was midway through my thirtieth year. One of the first things I did following my own initial conversion experience was to read through the entire New Testament. I discuss that experience here. This passage was especially eye-opening. I could see not just the Early Church, but the Catholic Church. There were Pope and Bishops already in place just a few days after the Ascension. They were already exercising magisterial authority, with the help of the Third Person of the Trinity. And that even before the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit a few days later at Pentacost.  

It confirmed for me that if I wanted to set aside my disordered life and follow Jesus, I also needed to submit to the authority of the Church that He had established from the beginning. Whatever rough patches I’ve encountered since, I’ve never lost sight of that conviction.

Concluding Prayer from today’s Liturgy of the Hours:

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 alloted 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.

Featured image top of page: The Ascension by Giotto, 1303