Friday Focus May 15

St. Matthias

Friday Focus, 15 May 2026

Feast of St. Matthias

God Chose Matthias. God Chooses Us.

Today (May 15) we celebrate the Feast of St. Matthias.

Matthias was selected to join the twelve apostles after Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. The apostles prayed and cast lots, trusting God to reveal God’s choice. 

The casting of lots to fill an open position may seem strange to us but at that time it was quite common.  To people of faith, God was a God of history and everything that happened was a product of God’s will.  This is a hard concept for many of us to accept in our modern age with its emphasis on individual freedom and personal choice.  We like to think that we are in control of our personal destiny. The selection of Matthias by lot, however, reminds us that we do not choose God, rather God chooses us.  Matthias was not initially part of Jesus’ inner circle, but he had faithfully followed Him from the beginning.  There is a lesson here as well:  God often calls those who live in quiet fidelity, rather than those who attract the spotlight.

Being chosen by God is a gift, but bearing fruit requires personal responsibility. Just as Judas failed to use his calling rightly, Christians are reminded to use their gifts for love and service, not selfish gain.  Matthias’ life teaches the value of patience, prayer, and readiness to serve, even when one is not in the inner circle.  There is no mention of Matthias in the New Testament beyond his selection described in the Book of Acts, but ancient sources describe him as an evangelist to the peoples who lived around the Caspian Sea and in Ethiopia.  Tradition asserts that he suffered a martyr’s death because of his obedience to God’s call. 

The example of Matthias reminds us that:

• • God’s choice often precedes our awareness;

  • we are called to respond faithfully when called upon;

  • quiet, consistent faithfulness is all that is required to answer God’s call;

  • our answer to God’s call is always to love one another and

  • to use our talents to produce lasting spiritual fruit.

Today’s feast invites us to examine our own lives—are we using our gifts to serve others and glorify God?

Are we patient and faithful in our daily walk, trusting God’s timing? The example of Matthais encourages Christians to remain steadfast, prayerful, and attentive to God’s call, knowing that even small, faithful actions contribute to the growth of the Church and the spread of the Gospel.

Norman+

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St. Matthias