RBWords

     The story of Matthias' "promotion" to the Twelve is part of the incredible "What next?" that makes up the development of the earliest Christian community.  Jesus was "gone" for good - "ascended."  What next?  Well, Judas was gone, too!  So what to do about that "vacancy?"   One question that is assumed in the story (that we have to learn for ourselves) is the whole reason for a "vacancy."  It appears that by the time Luke wrote his gospel and the Acts, the concept of the Twelve was seen as an important theological element.  Jesus had told the apostles that they would be "seated on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."  In other words, the Twelve meant a New Israel.  So, it was important to fill that "vacancy."

     The next question in the "What next?" concerned the qualifications of the person to be "promoted."  The words quoted above state the essentials.  It had to be someone who had been with "the Twelve" since the very beginnings of Jesus' ministry.  At least two (probably more) fit the description:  Joseph (a/k/a Barsabbas or Justus) and Matthias.  "What next?"  How to choose?  Even if we might look on it as superstition in OUR "enlightened times," the apostles used a time honored method for determining God's will:  they drew straws or threw dice - or something like that!  (My imagination is tempted to think of the cardinals of the Congregation for Bishops throwing dice around a big table to choose the next bishop of such-and-such a diocese!)  That something as important as choosing an apostle should depend on "luck" just demonstrates how the human and divine have interacted to create the story of Christianity.  Matthias promptly drops out of sight and we never hear about him again!  But we do hear about the Twelve!  The creeds (Nicene, Apostles' and others) emphasize the "apostolic" character and origin of the church.  At least poor St. Matthias gets a feast day and a retelling of the story of how he became an apostle!  The rest of us live on to tell the story!   AMEN