“Being docile to accept God’s ‘strange yet protective’ Will working in our lives!”

(Based on the Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle)

The dungeon was dark.
>> The air thick with hatred.
The pagan guards sneered as they held out the cup.

“This is poison,” they told a certain holy person.
>> “Drink, and die with your so-called faith.”

Any ordinary man would have begged for mercy.

But this man, was no ordinary man.
>> He took the cup.
>> He raised it in silent trust.
And with a steady hand and a prayer on his lips, he drank.

The poison coursed through his veins…
… but did not kill him.

And just when the guards expected to see him collapse, a miracle erupted:
Those around him, already blinded by the same deadly drink, suddenly received their sight.
>> Not only did the poison fail to harm him…
… it became a source of healing for others.

The prison shook with confusion.
>> Chaos erupted.

And by the time they scrambled to find him, he had vanished – hidden, invisible to their eyes, shielded by Heaven itself.

The holy person was St Mathias.


Indeed… when God’s hand is on your life, no chain can hold you, no poison can stop you…
… and no enemy can find you.


Faith is not proven by walking away from the fire…
… but by standing in it, knowing God is in control.


Today is the Feast of this Apostle, St Mathias.

He is the Apostle, chosen by lot, to go “into the place of the traitor Judas”.

The Acts of the Apostles describes:” that he may take his place in this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell.” (Acts 1:25)

St Mathias had one of the most unique privileges as well as one of the most awkward moments.
>> He had the unique privilege of being counted the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.
>> He had the unique awkward moment of taking the position left blank by Judas, the betrayer.


It is usually hard to fill up empty spaces of vacancies and opportunities.
>> And it indeed gets too hard to fill up the vacancy of being counted among the exclusive Twelve Apostles.

This task gets too complicated especially if the vacancy was created as a shameful result of “betrayal” and “treachery”

St Mathias had to fill in the gap left by the “traitor” Judas Iscariot.
>> Yet, Divine Providence had it that St Mathias should replace Judas, to be “counted as one among the Twelve”.


Life sometimes is such…

We are asked to take up tasks that may seem highly uncomfortable
>> We are invited to draw up duties which may seem highly insulting

Are we willing to accept them, seeing God’s providential hand in them?
>> Are we ready to undertake them, knowing God’s Will is at work in that?

Let us trust in the mighty and assuring words of Jesus, “You did not choose me, but I chose you…” (Jn 15:16)


St Matthias stands in the place of the traitor Judas

But not as another traitor…
… but as one who knows the treachery of human hearts and the need for Heavenly Grace.


The Feast of St Mathias is a reminder of this naked and frightening, yet remarkable and bold truth:

There is a possibility of being a traitor in all of us
… like Judas
>> But there is also the glorious chance of being His faithful apostle
… like St Mathias.

There are elements of betraying God, within each of us…
… like Judas
>> But there are also graces of being passionately committed to the Lord…
… like St Mathias.


May St Mathias intercede and inspire us…
… to be docile to accept God’s ‘strange yet protective’ Will working in our lives
… to be bold to take up the challenge of filling up gaps caused by betrayal and uneasiness
… to be aware of God’s mighty Providence guiding every action of the Church and the world.

Let’s remember: God’s Will may not always make sense…
… but it always makes saints!


Happy Feast of St Mathias, the Apostle

God Bless! Live Jesus!

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📖 Discovering the beauty of the Catholic Church through the Catechism
MAN’S VOCATION LIFE IN THE SPIRIT – GOD’S SALVATION: LAW AND GRACE – The Fourth Commandment – The Family and the society
>> As they grow up, children should continue to respect their parents.
>> They should anticipate their wishes, willingly seek their advice, and accept their just admonitions. (CCC # 2217)
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