Today’s Readings – Saint Matthias, Apostle

There is only one mention of Matthias in the whole of the New Testament and that is in chapter 1 of the Acts of the Apostles, whose author is always understood to have been Luke, the author of the Gospel bearing his name.

According to Acts, after the ascension of Jesus to his Father, the Apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. They gathered in a ’room’ together with the women who had accompanied Jesus, along with Mary his mother and other relatives. This room was a refuge because, as friends and companions of Jesus, they were afraid that the authorities might come to arrest them. We are told they gathered there frequently as a group to pray.

A few days later, about 120 ’believers’ gathered together and Peter spoke to them. He wanted to addres … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Tuesday of Week 4 of Easter - First Reading

Commentary on Acts 11:19-26

The results of the early persecution were to scatter the Jewish Christians to places like Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch. Phoenicia was a country about 15 miles wide and 120 miles long stretching along the northeastern Mediterranean coast (corresponding to mo … Continue