Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Feast of Saint Matthias, Apostle
Listen for English
“No be una choose Me, na Me choose una and appoint una make una go bear fruit wey go remain, so that anything wey una ask the Father for My name, E fit give una.” John 15:16
After Judas betray our Lord, di Apostles gather together to choose person wey go take im place. Dem decide say na person wey don dey with dem from di beginning dem go choose. Dem pray make God guide dem, and dem draw lot, “and di lot fall on Matthias, and dem count am join di Eleven Apostles” (Acts 1:26).
People no know plenty about di ministry of Saint Matthias. As dem choose am as one of di Twelve, e become bishop for di early Church. Different traditions talk say e preach for di area wey today na Ethiopia, Turkey or Georgia—e fit even be all these areas. People believe say dem kill am because of im faith, either by stoning am, cutting off im head, or both, and na why dem dey honour am today as martyr.
As we dey honour Saint Matthias, no be only one man wey become Apostle and use im life preach di Gospel we dey honour. We dey also honour di divine plan wey God take choose to use weak and humble instruments to move His Kingdom forward. Di Gospel passage above surely concern Saint Matthias, and e concern all of us too, each person for im own way. Na God “choose” Saint Matthias, and each and every one of us too, so dat we go go out to “produce fruit wey go remain.” But this kind good fruit, di fruit wey get effect wey go last forever, fit only come when we ask di Father for am for di name of His Son Jesus.
To ask di Father make E produce good fruit through us for di name of Jesus His Son no mean say na we go choose wetin we go ask di Father. Instead, we must understand say to ask “for Jesus’ name” mean say na only wetin di Son don ask we go ask di Father. We choose to share for di one eternal prayer of di Son, say make wetin di Father want happen. And as we dey pray like this, we commit ourselves to dey united with His holy will.
Sometimes, all of us fit find ourselves dey ask God for this favour or that one. We fit put wetin we prefer and wetin we want before Him. But if we want make God use us, make we become instrument of His grace so dat we go produce plenty good fruit, then we must humbly put wetin we want aside and allow God to be di One wey go choose our mission and appoint us for His holy work. Na only when we no hold on to wetin we want, and we humbly submit to wetin God want, we fit bring God’s Kingdom.
Today, reflect on how God choose to call you make you share for His divine mission. Na God go decide how E go call you, but you fit dey sure say E dey call you and invite you make you share for His mission. Dey open to any way wey God appoint you to produce good fruit, and humbly try make wetin you want agree with di Father’s plan as you dey pray for Jesus’ holy name.
Lord Jesus, You don perfectly do wetin the Father want for everything, and You don choose me and appoint me make I take part for Your divine mission. Help me make my mind and my will dey open to everything wey You dey call me to do, so that me too fit be instrument for the Kingdom of Your Father for Heaven. I dey make this prayer for Your most holy name. Jesus, na You I trust.
Novena to di Holy Spirit
Wey we dey pray to prepare for Pentecost
Friday, May 10 – Saturday, May 18
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Saint for Today – Saint Matthias the Apostle
Main picture wey dey above: St. Matthias wey Robert van der Hoecke do, through Wikimedia Commons
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