 
by Fr .Weninger, 1877
The holy apostle Matthias was born in Bethlehem, a city of Judaea. His parents reared him carefully and instructed him in the Commandments and ordinances of God. As soon as Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, had commenced to preach the Gospel, Matthias was among his hearers, and, taking His teachings deeply to heart, he followed the Divine Master, and was thus admitted among the seventy-two disciples of Christ. He also witnessed most of the miracles which our Saviour wrought during the time of His preaching. It cannot be doubted that Christ, after His resurrection, appeared to him as to others of His disciples, nor that he was present upon the mountain when Christ was so gloriously carried up to heaven. After the ascension of our Lord he repaired, with the apostles and other disciples, into the dining-hall, where they prepared themselves, in obedience to Christ's command, to receive the Holy Ghost. St. Peter, as the
chief of the apostles, rose in the midst of the assemblage and represented to them that one of those men, who had been constant in their attendance on the teachings of Christ, must be chosen in the place of the unhappy Judas. The latter, having betrayed and sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver, had ended his miserable life by hanging himself on a tree, where, his body bursting, had emitted his entrails. The place of this unfortunate traitor, who had been chosen an apostle by Christ, had to be filled and the missing member of the Apostolic College supplied.
Practical ConsiderationsTwo men were proposed; Joseph, who, on account of his piety, was surnamed the just, and Matthias. The meaning of the latter name is, the gift of God. To ascertain which of the two God wished them to choose as His apostle, they all united in the following fervent prayer: "O Lord, Thou who knowest the hearts of all men, manifest to us which of these two Thou hast chosen to take the place and apostolic function which Judas deserted." After having thus prayed they drew lots, and as the choice fell upon Matthias, he was associated with the eleven apostles. On the day of Pentecost he received the holy Ghost with the other apostles and disciples, and began at once to preach Jesus Christ as the true Messiah, bearing witness of His resurrection and ascension, and openly announcing the teaching of the Saviour. When, afterwards, the apostles dispersed over the whole world to preach the Gospel of Christ, the part which was assigned to St. Matthias to convert was Judaea. He began the work of conversion with true apostolic zeal, went through all the cities and villages of the land of Judaea, preaching and announcing Christ, and confirming, with many miracles, the truth of his words, gaining by this means many thousands to the number of the faithful. He was, however, not satisfied with merely converting them, but was also assiduous in directing them to lead a truly Christian life. St. Clement, of Alexandria, records that this holy apostle preached to the newly-converted particularly of mortification: how, in following the precepts of Christ, we must mortify our body, carry our cross, and battle with our evil desires. "Against the flesh," said he, "we must battle and never yield to its sensual desires." The history of the Church states that St. Matthias, during thirty-three years, continued his apostolic labors with unabated zeal in Judaea nnd Galilee. Meanwhile, it became unbearable for the obdurate Jews to see the number of the faithful increase daily, and to observe that Jesus Christ, whom they had crucified as a malefactor, was regarded and honored as the Messiah and Saviour of the world: they therefore determined to make away with the aptotle. Ananias, the high-priest, caused Matthias to be brought before him in an assemblage of the elders, and asked how he dared to seduce the people of Judaea from the Commandments of God, and entice them to worship one whom, as a blasphemer, they had nailed to the cross? At the same time he menaced him with death, should he not desist from preaching in future. Matthias, inspired by the Holy Ghost, demonstrated clearly to all assembled that He whom they had crucified as a blasphemer was the Son of God, the Messiah so long promised, who had risen from the dead, and who was to come again to judge both the living and the dead: adding that he would live and die in his faith in Christ. No one in the vast assemblage could refute his words, and, on this account, they became more furious against him. Ananias pronounced the sentence: "Matthias, as a blasphemer, shall be stoned alive." The others assented to this judgment, and, seizing the apostle, they led him out of the city to the place of execution. The Saint went joyfully, thanking God for bestowing upon him the grace to die for Christ, and prayed with bended knees for the salvation of all present and for the whole country. The enraged Jews immediately seized stones, and hurled them on him until he sank half dead upon the ground, when a Roman soldier beheaded him with an axe. The Christians buried his body with great honors, and the holy Empress Helena had it afterwards brought to Rome. When, however, the Empress received, from Pope Sylvester, St. Agritius, as Bishop of Treves, she gave to him, among other relics, the seamless garment of Jesus and the body of St. Matthias, to remove them to Treves, where, to this day, they are preserved in great honor, while St. Matthias is invoked as patron of this old and renowned city.
Have you observed what St. Matthias preached of the mortification of the flesh? Read it once more, and learn that not only the religious in the convents, but all Christians, are obliged to practice mortification and to battle against the sensuality of the flesh. Those who yield too much, who allow the flesh all it craves for, and who strive only to do what is agreeable to it, deserve not the name of Christians, neither have they part in Christ nor in the rewards He has promised to His followers. Those who wish to belong to Christ must, according to the teachings of St. Paul, "Crucify flesh with its vices and concupicences" (Galat. v.). Thus acted this apostle, as well as all the other apostles and disciples of Christ. A life of luxury and sensuality has not yet opened to any one the gates of heaven. Do you perhaps imagine you will be the first? Ah! take care. Believe not the world and the Evil One when they endeavor to persuade you that such will be
the case. They deceive you to your eternal perdition. Believe, much rather, our Lord Jesus Christ, who says, in distinct words: "The kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away" (Matthew xi.). The violent are those who do violence to themselves and their evil inclinations, who suppress them and lead a life of self-immolation. He who, without mortification, without self-abnegation, without valiantly wrestling against irregular desires, would gain salvation, must not imagine that he will thus bear away the kingdom of heaven. Violence must be applied. Therefore it is that Eternal Truth exhorts us with these serious words: "Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say unto you, shall seek to enter and shall not be able" (St. Luke xiii.). These many are, according to St. Chrysostom, those who, without mortification of their flesh, without self-abnegation, without earnest endeavors, suppose they will go to heaven. Are you not one of that number? Will you belong to them also in future?
Today's feast recalls to us the sad history of the wretched Judas, in whose place St. Matthias was chosen an apostle. Judas, an apostle of Christ, became the betrayer of his Divine Master--a suicide, a companion of the devil--and is now forever buried in the fire of hell. What an unhappy, what a terrible fall! But what has precipitated him from the height of his dignity into the abyss of misery? Nothing else but avarice, or the inordinate, the immoderate love of money. To receive thirty pieces of silver he scrupled not at the vilest means, namely, to betray and to sell Christ. Avarice tempted him into the blackest, the most horrible crime; from this he sank into despair, and from despair into hell. Oh! how true are St. Paul's words: "For they that will become rich, fall into temptation and into the snare of the devil, and into many unprofitable and hurtful devices, which drown men into destruction and perdition. "For the desire of money"--the immoderate desire of riches--"is the root of all evil, which some, coveting, have erred from the faith and have entangled themselves in many sorrows " (I. Timothy vi.). How many thousands who have experienced this are in hell with Judas! Avarice, and the inordinate desire of earthly possessions, mislead men to make use of inadmissible, injurious, and baneful means to become rich. They will lie; they will deceive; they will be faithless; they will steal; they will rob; they will practice usury, prostitution, and injustice; they will oppress poor widows and orphans; they will pay neither earned wages nor debts; and at last they will even murder. To the use of such horrible means, to such heavy crimes, has avarice led many a man. And what has been their end? They have died impenitent in their sins, and they have gone to eternal destruction. How did they fare upon earth? What benefit did they derive from what they had amassed so unrighteously? Some of them seemed to enjoy it for a time, but, when they least thought of it, death came unawares and took everything away from them. With empty hands they went into eternity, leaving all that they possessed to others. Some have had the fate of the unfortunate Judas, of whom St. Chrysostom writes: "He committed the crime, enjoyed not the money, and lost his soul forever." They did not even enjoy what they had unjustly amassed. At the moment they thought of enjoying it the words of the Gospel became true: "Thou fool this night do they require thy soul of thee, and whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?" (St. Luke xii.) Both the first and the last of whom I spoke have rendered themselves everlastingly unhappy. That is what they got by this sin. Picture it to yourself, and be careful that you never gain earthly goods by unjustifiable means. "Take heed and beware of all covetousness," exhorts our Lord Jesus Christ (St. Luke xii.). True, also, are the words of the Apostle: "The covetous shall not possess the kingdom of God " (I. Cor. vi.).
Prayer to St. Mathias
O Apostle Matthias! thou didst complete the sacred college, from which Judas had fallen; and by the power of the Holy Ghost, thou didst put to flight the darkness of idolatry by the admirable lightnings of thy wise words. Do thou now beseech the Lord that He grant peace and much mercy to our souls.
He that is the true Vine sent thee, a fruitful branch, bearing the grapes that give out the wine of salvation. When they drank it that before were slaves to ignorance, they turned from the drunkenness of error. Being made, O glorious Matthias, the chariot of God's word, thou didst break for ever the wheels of error, and the chariots of iniquity. By the divine power, thou didst defeat the idolaters, and destroy the pillars and the temples; but thou didst build up to the Trinity other temples, which echoed with these words: All ye people, praise Christ above all for ever! Amen. 
St. Matthias, Apostle by Rev. Alban Butler, 1857
St. Clement of Alexandria assures us, from tradition, that this saint was one of the seventy-two disciples, which is confirmed, by Eusebius and St. Jerome; and we learn from the Acts of the Apostles that he was a constant attendant on our Lord from the time of His baptism by St. John to His ascension. St. Peter having, in a general assembly of the faithful held soon after, declared from holy scripture the necessity of choosing a twelfth apostle in the room of Judas, two were unanimously pitched upon by the assembly as most worthy of the dignity--Joseph, called Barnabas, and, on account of his extraordinary piety, surnamed the Just, and Matthias. After devout prayer to God that He would direct them in their choice, they proceeded in it by way of lot, which falling by the divine direction on Matthias, he was accordingly associated with the eleven, and ranked among the apostles. "When in deliberations each side appears equally good, or each candidate of equally approved merit, lots may be sometimes lawfully used; otherwise, to commit a thing of importance to such a chance, or to expect a miraculous direction of divine providence in it, would be a criminal superstition and a tempting of God, except He Himself, by an evident revelation or inspiration, should appoint such a means for the manifestation of His will, promising his supernatural interposition in it, which was the case on this extraordinary occasion. The miraculous dreams or lots which we read of in the prophets, must no ways authorize any rash superstitious use of such means in others who have not the like authority.
We justly admire the virtue of this holy assembly of saints. Here were no solicitations or intrigues. No one presented himself to the dignity. Ambition can find no place in a virtuous or humble heart. He who seeks a dignity either knows himself unqualified, and is on this account guilty of the most flagrant injustice with regard to the public, by desiring a charge to which he is no ways equal; or he thinks himself qualified for it, and this self-conceit and confidence in his own abilities renders him the most unworthy of all others. Such a disposition deprives a soul of the divine assistance, without which we can do nothing; for God withdraws His grace and refuses His blessing where self-sufficiency and pride have found any footing. It is something of a secret confidence in ourselves, and a presumption that we deserve the divine succour, which banishes Him from us. This is true even in temporal undertakings, but much more so in the charge of souls, in which all success is more particularly the special work of the Holy Ghost, not the fruit of human industry. These two holy candidates were most worthy, of the apostleship, because perfectly humble, and because they looked upon that dignity with trembling, though they considered its labours, dangers, and persecutions with holy joy, and with a burning zeal for the glory of God. No regard was had to worldly talents, none to flesh and blood. God was consulted by prayer, because no one is to be assumed to his ministry who is not called by him, and who does not enter it by the door, and with the undoubted marks of his vocation. Judas's misfortune filled St. Matthias with the greater humility and fervour, lest he also should fall. We Gentiles are called upon the disinherison of the Jews, and are ingrafted on their stock. We ought therefore to learn to stand always in watchfulness and fear, or we shall be also cut off ourselves, to give place to others whom God will call in our room, and even compel to enter, rather than spare us. The number of His elect depends not on us. His infinite mercy has invited us without any merit on our side; but if we are ungrateful, He can complete His heavenly city without us, and will certainly make our reprobation the most dreadful example of His justice to all eternity. The greater the excess of His goodness and clemency has been towards us, the more dreadful will be the effects of His vengeance. "Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God, but the sons of the kingdom shall he cast forth." St. Matthias received the Holy Ghost with the rest soon after his election; and after the dispersion of the disciples, applied himself with zeal to the functions of his apostleship in converting nations to the faith. He is recorded by St. Clement of Alexandria to have been remarkable for inculcating the necessity of the mortification of the flesh with regard to all its sensual and irregular desires, an important lesson he had received from Christ, and which he practised assiduously on his own flesh. The tradition of the Greeks in their menologies tells us that St. Matthias planted the faith about Cappadocia and on the coasts of the Caspian Sea, residing chiefly near the port Issus. He must have undergone great hardships and labours amidst so savage a people. The same authors add that he received the crown of martyrdom in Colchis, which they call Ethiopia. The Latins keep his festival on the 24th of February. Some portions of his relics are shown in the abbatical church of Triers, and in that of St. Mary Major, in Rome, unless these latter belong to another Matthias, who was one of the first bishops of Jerusalem, on which see the Bollandists. As the call of St. Matthias, so is ours purely the work of God, and his most gratuitous favour and mercy. What thanks, what fidelity and love, do we not owe Him for this inestimable grace! When He decreed to call us to His holy faith, cleanse us from sin, and make us members of His spiritual kingdom, and heirs of His glory, He saw nothing in us which could determine Him to such a predilection. We were infected with sin, and could have no title to the least favour, when God said to us, "I have loved Jacob;" when he distinguished us from so many millions who perish in the blindness of infidelity and sin, drew us out of the mass of perdition, and bestowed on us the grace of His adoption, and all the high privileges that are annexed to this dignity. In what transports of love and gratitude ought we not, without intermission, to adore His infinite goodness to us, and beg that we may be always strengthened by His grace to advance continually in humility and His holy love, lest, by slackening our pace in His service, we fall from this state of happiness, forfeit this sublime grace, and perish with Judas. Happy would the church be if all converts were careful to maintain themselves in the same fervour in which they returned to God; but by a neglect to watch over themselves, and to shun dangers, and by falling into sloth, they often relapse into a condition much worse than the former. __________________________ The Apostles Creed
I BELIEVE in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth;
and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord; Who was conceived of the Holy Ghost,
born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was
buried. He descended into hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended
into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty: from thence
He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy
Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection
of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.
__________________________ Prayer from the Breviary of St. Matthias
O God, Who didst choose Thy blessed servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles, grant, we beseech Thee, that Thy Church, being upholden by his prayers, may ever feel about her the arms of Thy most mighty protection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
Hymn: Exsultet orbis
Now let the earth with joy resound,
(Roman Breviary for the Common of Apostles)
And heaven the chant re-echo round; Nor heaven nor earth too high can raise The great Apostles' glorious praise. O ye who, throned in glory dread, Shall judge the living and the dead, Lights of the world forever more! To you the suppliant prayer we pour. Ye close the sacred gates on high; At your command apart they fly: O loose for us the guilty chain We strive to break, and strive in vain. Sickness and health your voice obey; At your command they go or stay: From sin's disease our souls restore; In good confirm us more and more. So when the world is at its end. And Christ to Judgment shall descend, May we be called those joys to see Prepared from all eternity. Praise to the Father, with the son, And Holy spirit, Three in One; As ever was in ages past, And so shall be while ages last. Amen  INSTRUCTION ON THE FEAST OF ST. MATTHIAS. APOSTLE by Rev. Leonard Goffine, 1880
St. Mattias, born in Bethlehem of Juda, was at the commencement of Christ's preaching numbered by Him among the
seventy-two disciples, and everywhere accompanied our Saviour and witnessed all His miracles and His resurrection.
After Christ's ascension, Matthias was chosen apostle in place of the traitor Judas, as is detailed in the Lesson of this day, and after the descent of the Holy Ghost announced the gospel first to his own people, the Jews, and then in Cappadocia and the neighborhood of the Caspian Sea. Having preached the doctrine of salvation in many countries, especially urging,
as St. Clement of Alexandria relates, abstinence from Carnal pleasures, he was stoned by the Jews in Galilee who wished
not to hear his sermons, and was finally beheaded by the Roman soldiers about the year 63.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O God, who didst join the blessed Matthias to the company of Thine apostles: grant, we beseech Thee, that, by his intervention, we may continually experience the bowels of Thy mercy towards us. Thro'. &c. LESSON. (Acts i. 15 - 26.) In those days, Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren, said (now the number of persons together was about a hundred and twenty): Men and brethren, the scripture must needs be fulfilled which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended Jesus: who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. And he indeed hath possessed a field of the reward of iniquity, and, being hanged, burst asunder in the midst; and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the same field was called in their tongue Haceldama, that is to say, the field of blood. For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein: and his bishopric let another take. Wherefore of these men who have companied with us, all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast chosen, to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles. How did Judas possess a field? By the reward of his treason. Repenting of his crime Judas threw down its price in the temple; the high-priests would not accept it for the treasury of the temple, because it was the price ot blood, and it was, therefore, used to purchase a field to be a burial place for strangers dying in Jerusalem, and received the name Haceldama, the field of blood. (Matt. xxvii, 3 - 8.) See how much avarice profited Judas, and learn from his miserable fate the danger of this vice, and all other passions, which are not immediately exterminated. INSTRUCTION. Let us learn from the apostles who prayed so fervently at the election of Matthias, the necessity of prayer in the election of priests or rulers of the state, that God may so direct us, that the choice may fall on men who are really suitable for the office. The neglect of prayer, and the carnal, selfish considerations which move many electors, often cause men to be chosen who administer their office badly, and do more harm than good. If the choice is not directed by God, as it was in the case of St. Matthias, but according to human sentiments, then, generally, instead of a Matthias a Judas is chosen. From this, that none of the disciples presented himself as a candidate for the apostleship, we should learn not to force ourselves into spiritual office and dignity, but await the call of God, because we dare not promise ourselves the grace necessary to fulfil its duties. All who are about choosing their state of life, must remember to pray fervently for light that they may know the state for which God designs them; for we can be saved only with great difficulty in a station of life which we have entered contrary to the will of God, and from the promptings of sinful passions. GOSPEL. (Mtt. xi. 25 -30.) At that time, Jesus answering, said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones. Yea, Father: for so hath it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him. Come to me all you that labor, and are burdened, and I will refresh you. Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet, and my burden light. Why did Christ say: I confess to thee, O Father, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones? To give thanks to His Heavenly Father for having revealed the mysteries of His incarnation and humiliation in life, not to those who wish in their pride to penetrate everything with their short-sighted human reason, and therefore despise the mysterious works of God, but to the little, that is, the humble ones, who, like the apostles, make their reasoning obedient to the service of Christ and the faith, and so become worthy to be interiorly enlightened by God, like the apostles, and to understand His mysteries. How were all things delivered by the Father to Christ? By making Christ, since He sent Him into the world, the Teacher and Model of kings and rulers, the Redeemer and the Judge of all men, and giving Him all power in heaven and on earth. Matt. xxviii. 18.) Why is it that no one knows the Father but the Son and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him? Because no one but the God-Man, Christ, knows perfectly the incomprehensible mystery of the Most Holy Trinity, and no one can acquire the knowledge of God and the true faith, except through Christ. Why does no one know the Son but the Father? Because only God can comprehend the eternal birth and the origin of Christ, as regards His divinity, His divine perfections and attributes, and the mystery of the redemption. Who are those who labor and are burdened? Those who labor for justice and strive to attain perfection; who are obliged to endure persecution and annoyance, and those who are weighed down with the burden of grievous sins. How does Christ refresh them? By His grace He refreshes the first, that they may attain justice; the second He consoles and strengthens, that they may not become faint-hearted; the last He forgives, (if they do penance) remits their punishment, and so relieves them of their burden. What it the yoke of Christ? It is the light yoke of the commandment to love God and our neighbor. What have we principally to learn of Christ? To be meek and humble of heart. We are meek, when, after Christ's example, we bear injuries patiently, and do not avenge them; and humble of heart, if we acknowledge our weakness and unworthiness, have not an exalted opinion of ourselves, and seek not to be esteemed by others, or as St. Bonaventure says, "if we despise ourselves and the world, but no person in it, and are glad to be ourselves disregarded." This, Christ tells us, is the only way to true peace of mind, and to temporal and eternal happiness; to leave this path, and enter on one of anger and pride, is to lose the road to heaven. PRAYER. O most meek and humble Jesus! we thank Thee for Thy loving invitation to us who labor and are burdened, promising us rest and refreshment, and we beseech Thee to grant, that in all trials and difficulties we may take refuge to Thee, and become by meekness and humility less unworthy of Thy refreshing consolation. ON THE OBSERVANCE OF THE COMMANDMENTS My yoke is sweet and my burden light. (Matt. xi. 30.) Can we keep the commandments? Assuredly, with God's grace which Christ has obtained for us and continually ofiers us, we can keep the commandments. If we could not, the yoke of Christ would not be sweet, but unendurable, and St. John could not with truth have said: The commandments of God are not hard. (i. John v. 3.) If the commandments were really as hard to keep as some sacrilegiously declare, then God would have been unjust and unwise, for He would have imposed upon men laws that could not be fulfilled, and for the non-fulfillment of which He threatens to punish them. But God requires nothing that is impossible. "The law," writes St. Augustine, "is given us that we may seek for grace, and grace is given us that we may fulfil the law, and whatever God demands He gives grace to perform," because "He encourages us, by His commands, to do what we can, and pray for that which we cannot do, for because He helps us, we can." (Conc. Trid. Sess. 6. c. 11.) Can we be saved withaut observing the commandments? No, for Christ expressly says: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matt. xix. 17.) It is to be observed that Christ says: If thou wilt, He wishes not to force any one; He requires that we come voluntarily; He shows us the way and gives us help to follow it. So He says: "Take my yoke upon you!" I impose it not against your will. Take it for yourself, otherwise you will not find rest for your soul, but misery. PRAYER TO ST. MATTHIAS. O saint Matthias, glorious apostle and martyr of Jesus Christ, who so urged to abstinence and the keeping of the commandments, I beseech thee who wast chosen by God from all eternity, to obtain from Him the grace for us, that by the keeping of the commandments, by mortification, and good works, we may be numbered among the chosen ones. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, &c. Amen.
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