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Matthias the Faithful

February 24, 2026

Acts 1:15-26|Philippians 3:13-21|John 15:1, 6-16|Psalm 15

The call of Saint Matthias occurred between Our Lord’s Ascension and Pentecost in response to a practical concern: the need to replace Judas the betrayer. In today’s first lesson, Peter gives only one criterion: The one chosen must “have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” In other words, that person must have been faithful. That this person would replace one who had proven unfaithful reinforces the importance of a faithful character. Scripture says nothing else about Matthias other than he was chosen and (therefore) met the criterion. The fact that only two men were nominated (apparently women were not considered, although Scripture shows some as examples of faithfulness) indicates that Matthias stood out in some way, but what that might have been is not stated. 

For that reason, I see Matthias as the patron saint of the laity. The placing of Saint Matthias’s day at the beginning of Lent reminds us that life goes on. It calls us to pause and reflect on our daily ministries, even as the season leads us to focus on repentance and preparation for Holy Week and beyond. Most of the year is spent in Ordinary Time, the seasons of Epiphany, which is behind us, and of Pentecost, which awaits us after Easter. During those seasons, the Church focuses on the ministry of the laity, which may be summarized as: represent Christ, bear witness to him wherever you are, and carry on His work of reconciliation (see BCP, page 855). That is what I imagine Matthias doing, and that is what we are called to do. We may feel unnoticed, like Matthias, but the work we do matters, just as his did. As today’s gospel reading concludes (Jesus speaking,) “You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit…” So it was for Matthias; so it is for us.

Steve Capps