There was a sudden opening among the 12 Apostles. Judas had committed suicide and now they had to choose his replacement. The requirements were few: the candidate had to have accompanied them from the beginning and to have witnessed the risen Christ. No interviews or anything else - just the casting of lots! It's not our usual way of deciding between candidates. The lots fell to Matthias - about whom we know very little. No one is irreplaceable - the Spirit will always select individuals to follow God's call. Just as Jesus calls the disciples without excessive interviewing, the Apostles trusted His ways of shaping them along the way.

In John, love is the only way of knowing and experiencing God. As the beloved disciple experienced, loving is not in a half - hearted manner but to give one's life all the way with Jesus. It is to walk with Him and be treated as people have treated Him. Jesus tells His followers to remain in His love - not just for little bits of time, but 24/7. Only then can we dwell in God; only then can Jesus and the Father make their dwellings in us. Jesus paved the way of loving with plenty of room for perfection in relating without judging. We are offered this friendship with God and with Jesus; we are invited to experience the life of the Trinity. How could we settle for anything less?