The Collect for the Feast of St. Matthias, Apostle and Martyr:
“O God, who assigned Saint Matthias a place in the college of Apostles, grant us, through his intercession, that, rejoicing at how your love has been allotted to us, we may merit to be numbered among the elect. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.”
Reflection
St. Matthias is a particular example of God’s mysterious designs; He has a plan in mind for each of us. After spending all of that time as a disciple in the background, Matthias is suddenly brought into the spotlight to be an Apostle. And this happens without any effort or plotting on his part. So, our prayer praises God’s design. It reminds us that God has “allotted” love to us. He has chosen a part for us in the divine plan. Then, we go on to ask the one thing that matters most: to be numbered among the elect, those who are saved and go to heaven.
So, for your daily contribution to the Church’s collection of prayer,
Reflect on how much you try to take control of your own destiny. We certainly don’t believe in doing nothing, but we must recognize the primacy of God’s plan for us and then our response to that plan. Pray for a greater trust in God’s designs. Pray that you desire salvation above and beyond any supposed honors that can be found within the Church. Then spiritually unite that prayer to all the Masses throughout the world today. That way, when the priest says “Let us pray,” you can be a part of that “us” even if you don’t get to attend Mass.
