St Matthias: an appropriate date this year
Today is the Sunday between The Ascension last Thursday and Pentecost next Sunday.
The first followers of Christ, about 120 people, spent the ten days in between in Jerusalem waiting for the Holy Spirit.
They used the time to choose a replacement for Judas, the group’s treasurer, who had betrayed Jesus and triggered his arrest just before the first Easter Day.
Prayer and the drawing of lots, maybe involving a form of election, resulted in Matthias being chosen. He was the replacement apostle.
Tomorrow Monday is St Matthias Day. It’s always 14 May but this year’s Easter date means that it falls at exactly the right time.