The Choice

“They drew lots...the choice fell to Matthias...” Acts 1:26

When we go back to when the Twelve Apostles were chosen, Luke tells is in chapter 6, verses 12-16, that Jesus prayed all night all alone in a mountain. Then He called all His followers and chose twelve of them to be His Apostles: Simon Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James, Simon, Judas don of James, and Judas Iscariot. Judas! The one who betrayed Him! So even after praying a long time, Jesus chose this man who sold Him for a few paltry pieces of silver! 

In Acts 1, Peter said, basing his decision on the Book of Psalms 109:8, that they would replace Judas with another. They prayed, “You Know every heart, Lord. Show us which of these men You have chosen.” They drew lots and Matthew was chosen. We know very little about Matthew, only that he was with Jesus from the beginning of His ministry. 

In the choice of Judas, we may have many questions. Didn’t Jesus know Judas would betray Him? Was this poor man chosen precisely because he would betray Jesus and put into place the plan for our salvation? I believe that Judas was given a choice, just as we all are. To follow Christ or to choose the world. Judas chose to follow his baser instinct. 

And Matthias was chosen to take his place. In this way the infant church grew under Peter. Throughout history we know that Jesus’ church has been beset by many problems, numerous scandals. We can be sure that just as Judas and his mistake was used by God for the good of the Church and His people, He will also make a way to cause all things, good and bad, even in the political and social arena of our time, to come together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). 

And what is our role? "We draw from this a final lesson: while there is no lack of unworthy and traitorous Christians in the Church, it is up to each of us to counterbalance the evil done by them with our clear witness to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior." (Pope Benedict, Oct. 2006)