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Gospel: John 15: 9-17
Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.
“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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We find something extraordinary unfolding in our first reading, which is essential to the foundation of our Catholic faith: apostolic succession.
After the betrayal and death of Judas, the Apostles have dropped from twelve to eleven. Given the Lord’s command to, “go out and make disciples of all nations,” the Church needs leaders who bear the authority of Christ.
Two were proposed. One was chosen, Matthias.
Interestingly, Matthias is recorded as accompanying Jesus from the very beginning of his public ministry all the way to his ascension. He saw the works that Jesus performed, and believed.
Tradition tells us that, after being appointed an apostle, Matthias went east, bringing the Good News into often hostile territory, where he preached; debated; converted some; and, at last, was martyred.
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What can his story say to us today?
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Like Matthias, you’ve been appointed to spread the Gospel, even at some personal cost, sometimes to people with skeptical hearts or flimsy faith.
You may find yourself the only Christian in your home; the only one who prays or goes to Mass; the only Catholic at work; the only spiritual person in your circle of friends.
But the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, empowering you to, “go and bear fruit that will remain.”
Often that fruit isn’t borne out of logical arguments or fire and brimstone style preaching; rather, “love one another,” the Lord says, “as I have loved you.”
That will convert the world.
Or, at least, a good share of it.
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Image credits: (1) Christ Giving the Keys to Saint Peter, Peter Paul Rubens (2) Matthias the Apostle, Peter Paul Rubens (3) Howard Carter