“If there is one thing that we are not feeling right now, it’s being in control,” says Father Jerry in today’s video on the Feast of St. Matthias. “Our lives are at the mercy of some unseen monster of a virus. Our work and school schedules blew up weeks ago. Grocery shopping has become more of a challenge. We’ve been conditioned to see everyone outside our homes as a potential carrier of the virus.”

May today’s feast of Saint Matthias restore us to trust in the wisdom and grace to follow Jesus’ way of humble generosity and selfless service to one another. May we have experience of Your grace and love in our lives that will enable us to trust always in Your call to be Your ministers of reconciliation and peace.

The Gospel of John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this so that my joy might be in you
and your joy might be complete.
This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.
It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you
and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you.
This I command you: love one another.”