Judas’ screwup left a gaping whole among the apostles

A reflection on the daily readings, for the Feast of St. Mathias, apostle, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

Nitty gritty!

Those are the words we use to describe getting down to the tiny details and fulfilling a plan or idea.

And that is what Peter was doing today to restore or complete or return to the wholeness that once was — before Judas messed up everything by handing Jesus to the authorities to be crucified.

When Judas’ act was completed, he understood, strangely, the gravity of what he had done, and the horror of it all — and he took his own life.

Now, there were no longer 12, but 11; it left a gaping hole in the chosen group.

It wasn’t just a number, but like the 12 tribes of Israel that were the foundation of God’s people Israel, Jesus had chosen a new 12 — the apostles — to number the “patriarchs” of the “new Israel.”

And Peter had determined what was necessary to even be considered for this.

It came down to two people; casting lots, they chose Matthias. And now the church would and was growing with more and more eager listeners of the Gospel — even growing among Greek listeners, and soon many Gentiles.

“It’s a Brand New Day,” a song recorded by the late Paul Quinlan in the latter part of the 1960s, joyfully captured the spirit of it all —

“It’s a brand new day, everything is fine.”

Now, in this Gospel passage, Jesus teaches his greatest and most important teachings, and sums it all up in one word —

Love.

And Jesus even gives a whole new reason or purpose for following the commands of God. It wasn’t to be for mere obedience.

No.

It is and was to be out of love. And to put it in other words: To live the commands of God was to walk with God, hand in hand with God.

But Jesus went further, for he spoke of love with one of the four common words used for love — agape.

Agape love was the highest and greatest form of love in the scriptures.

Agape represented unconditional, selfless, and sacrificial love. Good parents doing good parenting know this kind of love, especially for their very young children. It is the most fulfilling love, and the most powerfully formative model of love.

Jesus further tells his followers — including ourselves — that by keeping his commandments and walking hand-in-hand with Jesus, his love would remain in us.

But even further —

“I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”

Do we know this love? Do we seek this love? Have we found joy?

Is our hand firmly grasping the hand of the Lord?

This is Gospel-teaching at its best!