Today (14 May) the Church celebrates the life and ministry of Matthias, one of the Apostles.

After the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, the apostles brought their number back to twelve by choosing Matthias to replace him. He was chosen by lot from amongst the disciples.

The author of the Acts of the Apostles sees apostleship differently from Paul’s interpretation of the rôle and seems to reflect the understanding of the gospel of Luke.

The number had to be restored so that they might ‘sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel’.

It was conditional that they had to have been with Jesus during his earthly ministry and witnesses to the resurrection.

The point of being chosen by lot, rather than by some democratic method, indicated the election or choosing by God, rather than by mortals.