St. Matthias, Apostle
Entrance Antiphon: Jn 15: 16
It was not you who chose me, says the Lord, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, alleluia.
Collect
O God, who assigned Saint Matthias a place in the college of Apostles, grant us, through his intercession, that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us, we may merit to be numbered among the elect. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading: Acts 1:15-17,20-26
One day Peter stood up to speak to the brothers – there were about a hundred and twenty persons in the congregation: ‘Brothers, the passage of scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit, speaking through David, foretells the fate of Judas, who offered himself as a guide to the men who arrested Jesus – after having been one of our number and actually sharing this ministry of ours. Now in the Book of Psalms it says: Let someone else take his office. We must therefore choose someone who has been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was travelling round with us, someone who was with us right from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us – and he can act with us as a witness to his resurrection.’ Having nominated two candidates, Joseph known as Barsabbas, whose surname was Justus, and Matthias, they prayed, ‘Lord, you can read everyone’s heart; show us therefore which of these two you have chosen to take over this ministry and apostolate, which Judas abandoned to go to his proper place.’ They then drew lots for them, and as the lot fell to Matthias, he was listed as one of the twelve apostles.
Psalm 112(113):1-8
R/ The Lord sets him in the company of the princes of his people.
1. Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! May the name of the Lord be blessed both now and for evermore!
2. From the rising of the sun to its setting praised be the name of the Lord! High above all nations is the Lord, above the heavens his glory.
3. Who is like the Lord, our God, who has risen on high to his throne yet stoops from the heights to look down, to look down upon heaven and earth?
4. From the dust he lifts up the lowly, from the dungheap he raises the poor to set him in the company of princes, yes, with the princes of his people.
Gospel Acclamation: cf. Jn 15:16
Alleluia, alleluia! I chose you from the world to go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last, says the Lord. Alleluia!
Gospel: John 15:9-17
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘As the Father has loved me, so I have loved 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 own joy may be in you and your joy be complete. This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you. A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I command you. I shall not call you servants any more, because a servant does not know his master’s business; I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. You did not choose me: no, I chose you; and I commissioned you to go out and to bear fruit, fruit that will last; and then the Father will give you anything you ask him in my name. What I command you is to love one another.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Receive, O Lord, the offerings of your Church, reverently presented for the Feast of Saint Matthias, and through them strengthen us by the power of your grace. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon: Jn 15: 12
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you, says the Lord, alleluia.
Prayer after Communion
Never cease, O Lord, we pray, to fill your family with divine gifts, and, through Saint Matthias’ intercession for us, graciously admit us to a share in the lot of the Saints in light. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation In the readings today, the apostles show us the importance of praying and seeking God before we embark on any task. We must follow this good example of the apostles to allow God to decide for us; we must give room for God’s will to be done in our life. We ought always to seek the promptings of the Holy Spirit when searching for a life partner, seeking for a job, and even when choosing people to lead us in the civil society.