In the narrative of Acts, the choice of Matthias occupies the
twelve-day interval between the Ascension and the day of Pentecost.
It is therefore appropriately read on this Sunday, thus breaking the
consecutive order in which the excerpts from Acts have been read
during the Easter season.
This passage, like so many of the pericopes in Acts, combines
earlier tradition with the authors redaction. There is no reason to
doubt that the basic factual nucleus is historical.
The number of the Twelve has to be made up after the defection of
Judas by choosing one from among those who had received a
resurrection appearance (one of the five hundred in 1
Cor 15:6?).
Later tradition brought in the citation from Psalm 69 as an
apologetic text for Judas’ defection. Luke then wrote up the
whole to express his own doctrine of apostleship.
The original function of the Twelve was distinct from that of the
apostolate (see 1 Cor 15:5, 7). The Twelve had been
appointed by the earthly Jesus as
a sign of the eschatological community, the new Israel,
which was to be the outcome of his work.
As recipients of the second resurrection appearance after Peter,
they became the foundation of the eschatological community.
The choice of the twelfth man would have preserved this
eschatological significance.
Later tradition tended more and more to make the Twelve as such
apostles. The apostles, on the other hand, were originally
missionaries, sent out to proclaim the gospel. The Twelve and the
apostles formed overlapping circles.
Luke carried further the later tendency, already discernible in Mark
and Matthew, to make the Twelve as such apostles by practically
confining the apostolate to the Twelve.
He also defines the function of the apostolate as witness to the
original saving history of both the earthly ministry of Jesus and
his resurrection.
The apostles thus serve as a bridge between the earthly Jesus and
the ongoing life of the Church, a paramount concern of Luke’s.
Responsorial Psalm: 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20
This psalm of thanksgiving is used on a number of occasions. Today
the final stanza is highlighted by the response, “The Lord has
set his throne in heaven,” thus making the psalm one of
thanksgiving for the ascension of Christ.
This reading follows immediately upon the second reading of last
Sunday, and in typical Johannine fashion it repeats the themes of
the earlier passage with slight variation: the love of God; the duty
of love for one another; the mutual indwelling of God in the
faithful and of the faithful in God; the definition of God as love,
in the sense of the saving event.
As usual in such Johannine repetition, a new point is made. That new
point is that this mutual indwelling is exhibited in the confession
of Jesus as the Son of God.
We spoke in series A of this chapter, the high priestly prayer of
Christ at the Last Supper or, as it has been called by some
exegetes, the prayer of consecration.
In a way it represents the Johannine equivalent of the words of
institution, in which Christ consecrates himself as the messianic
sacrifice and offers the benefit of his sacrifice for the disciples
to partake of in advance.
In the Johannine prayer he consecrates himself so that his disciples
may be consecrated for their mission and be preserved in unity and
truth amid persecution.
At first sight, it might be thought that this reading would be more
appropriate for Holy Thursday. It would certainly not be
inappropriate there, but we have to recall that in Johannine
parlance “I am coming to thee” refers to the whole
process of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, and so
it is just as meaningful today.
As a result of Jesus’ departure, the mission of the apostles
is inaugurated. So the prayer looks forward to Pentecost and beyond,
to the mission of the Church
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Preaching the Lectionary: The Word of God for the Church Today Reginald H. Fuller and Daniel Westberg. Liturgical Press. 1984. (Revised Edition). |
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For more information about the 3rd edition (2006) of
Preaching the Lectionary click picture above.
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from Religious Clip Art for the Liturgical Year (A, B, and C).
This art may be reproduced only by parishes who purchase the collection in book or CD-ROM form. For more information go http://www.ltp.org