Chosen
“It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you.”
Today, we celebrate the feast day of St. Matthias - a saint who was promoted to apostle status because of his faithfulness to Christ. I think many of us can relate to St. Matthias - we stand in the background, hidden in our little lives, but following Jesus faithfully all the while.
We don’t hear about St. Matthias anywhere else in scripture, but today’s Gospel is perfect for his feast day. Jesus says, “It was not you who chose Me, but I who chose you.” Just like Jesus plucked St. Matthias from obscurity and dropped Him into His place as an apostle, He plucks us from the common circumstances of our lives and places us within His family.
He brings us into His love.
Saint Matthias won the luck of the draw - the apostles literally “drew straws” to determine who would take Judas’ place. How often do we forget that we’ve won the luck of the draw? How often do we fail to recognize God’s faithfulness to us? How often do we forget the ways that He’s plucked us out of our mess and into His grace?
A friend recently commented that God is extravagantly faithful to me. She said it so matter of factly - as if it was common knowledge that God provides for me extravagantly. And it shifted things. She saw me as blessed, and I realized I didn’t see myself that way. Sisters, I AM blessed, and so are you. We might not always see it, but He’s been faithful to us and chosen us at every turn. Let’s rest in that today remembering that He’s chosen us and remaining in that extravagant love.
Father,
Thank You for bringing us into Your family. Thank You for plucking us out of the mess we humans made and into the glory of Your love.
Help us to rest in You - to lean back into Your love and Your joy. Teach us how to enjoy You.
God, we love You. Thank You for choosing us. Amen.