14 May
Tue
St Matthias, Apostle
Acts 1:15-17,20-26
Ps. 113:1-2,3-4,5-6, 7-8
Jn. 15:9-17
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"He is the replacement" - Matthias would always have the honour (or some would say 'dishonour') of being the person who replaced the infamous Judas Iscariot, as one of the Twelve Apostles. Some may even consider him a second-rate apostle since he was never part of Jesus' original choice. In fact, he got the post through the all-so-human process of drawing lots - which leaves much to chance as to faith. But in reality, the story of Matthias' election leaves us with an important insight into the question of authority, mission and succession in the Church. The risen and glorified Jesus had returned to the Father, the Apostles were mortals who would eventually die - how would the Church's mission be continued?

Today's Gospel enables us to see this whole idea in a new light: authority and mission ultimately comes from God to Christ to the Apostles to the bishops and then to their successors. As "missionaries" of the Gospel, we have to be commissioned - our authority comes from above. In the event that we may be tempted to think that our involvement in ministry or service or the apostolate is wholly of our own initiative, let us be reminded of these potent words of Jesus: "You did not choose me, no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last"



Father, I thank You for having chosen me to be Your instrument. May I always remain in Your love, the love that demands self-sacrifice.

DAILY OFFERING
Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH
INTENTION
That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G    W I T H    T H E    C H U R C H    

INTENTION : That Christians may live their faith coherently and so be credible witnesses of the hope of the Gospel

That we may live a "coherent faith" that is a faith which produces the testimony of good works is the ecumenical intention of the Holy Father. In the Joint Declaration on the doctrine of justification signed between the Catholic Church and the World Lutheran Federation in 1999 it is stated that "only through grace, by means of faith in Christ and his salvific work, and not through any merit of ours, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit which renews our hearts, enabling us to perform and leading us to good works".

It has to be understood that no human effort is capable of buying salvation. It is fundamentally a gift of God for which we have a duty to respond and co-operate through "faith-in-action" or "practised faith".

Hence, the strengthening of one's inner faith through prayer and the sacraments will assist in the growth of charity which leads us to live the new commandment of love more fervently. Now is the time to look at charity in a new way. It is not a matter of doing the same thing in the same way. It is a time to seek and find new expressions of love for every human being. Then we become "credible witnesses of evangelical hope"




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