St. Matthias

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Acts of the Apostles, disciples, faithfulness, hope, Jesus, St. Matthias, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, warm heart, witness

Today my Church honors St. Matthias, a man who was mentioned only once in the Scriptures. The event was a momentous one for him and a lesson for people who live in consistent attention to their spiritual lives. The first lectionary reading today tells the story of how Matthias became the replacement for Judas in the band of apostles. (ACTS 1:15-26) He was one of the two nominees for the position because he had accompanied the apostles the whole time Jesus was with them “from the baptism of John to the day on which he was taken up,” having also been a witness to the Resurrection. He was clearly one of those folks who knew the value of staying close to the example and teachings of Jesus – without needing to be known as “one of the Twelve.”

I spent this past weekend with a cohort of people who gave witness to the kind of faithfulness Matthias showed toward life with Jesus. It was a privilege to be in the company of such welcoming individuals who have grown together as a community – some for many years and some who have only recently experienced the spirit that holds their parish together, manifested in willingness to accompany one another in loving service. I would venture to say as well that none of them are looking for recognition as “leader of the pack.” Everyone just pitches in to do what they are able for the good of the whole, something Matthias would have understood when he was chosen by lot (a process that reinforces the value of all “contenders”).

I came home with a warm heart and renewed hope for the future because of that energetic and joyful band of disciples living and loving in the state of Maryland, USA. Thanks be to God!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adulation

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accomplishments, Acts of the Apostles, agency, Barnabas, compliments, heal, humility, instruments of God, Paul, self-esteem, talents, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, witness

It’s difficult for some of us to take compliments. In “the old days” we were taught to “be humble” which meant to be self-effacing, never taking credit when we did a good act, looked pretty or handsome or performed well in a recital. Parents were often afraid their children would get “a swelled head” and think themselves better than others. While the sentiment was noble, lots of damage was – and maybe still is – done to self esteem as these children grew into adulthood. Today we understand that it’s good to acknowledge the accomplishments of others; humility is really another word for truth. The caution is for us to realize that many of our accomplishments come from God-given talents as well as our own effort and that we walk through life with the help and guidance of others – which I guess means we still occasionally need that person who will keep us from getting a swelled head. Keeping our ego in check is a lifelong balancing act.

In this morning’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 14:5-18), Paul and Barnabas are making their way from town to town, sometimes being persecuted for their preaching but sometimes just the opposite, as in Lystra, where they are able to heal a lame man who had never walked. As a result the people began to speak of them as gods and their temple priest brought oxen and garlands to offer in sacrifice to them. Their response was swift and strong. They tore their garments and said to the crowds, “Men, why are you doing this? We are of the same nature as you, human beings! We proclaim to you good news that you should turn from idols to the living God…In bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witnesses…” They understood agency (see previous post) and knew that they were instruments of God’s healing. They knew and exercised the gift that had been given to them but did not forget the source of the gift. No unbridled ego there, just faithful witnesses.

May it be so with us.