Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar

The apostle Paul writes: “O the depth of the riches and wisdom of God! How inscrutable are his judgements and how unsearchable his ways!” (Rom 11,33)… And one of the psalms says: “In wisdom you have wrought them all” (Ps. 104[103],24), that is to say, in your Word, your everlasting utterance. Now, if it is in and through the Word that all things were made (Jn 1,3), who could doubt that it is with wisdom and that he has chosen his disciples perfectly and without partiality? “He chose us in him,” the apostle Paul says, “before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1,4)… Let us consider the choice of Matthias. The apostles had chosen Joseph Barsabbas and Matthias…; then they had presented their choice before him who judges the heart and who “knew the hearts of them all” so that he might make known to them which of the two he himself had chosen. And he had surely chosen Matthias for that honor even before the lot had been cast, even before the foundation of the world… “All that you ask for in prayer,” the Lord says, “believe that you will receive it and it shall be yours” (Mk 11,24). Hence the custom of the Church of praying together in common each time it thinks it must ask something of the Lord. No other means has so great a hold over God’s will than prayer, provided it is offered with faith, serenity, humility and perseverance. So drawing lots had no influence over the choice of this glorious apostle since, as Scripture shows, the apostles began with prayer. Rather, it was in response to their prayer that God inspired them to draw lots for this election. On the other hand, Matthias was not granted any lesser grace than Peter or the other apostles although he was called last of all. He received the Spirit as fully as the others and the same spiritual gifts as they did. When it came to rest on him, the Holy Spirit filled him with charity; it enabled him to speak in every tongue, to work miracles, convert nations, preach Christ and win the victory of martyrdom.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team

The mark of Christ’s sheep is their willingness to hear and obey, just as the sign of those who are not his is their disobedience. We take the word “Hear” to imply obedience to what has been said. People who hear God are known by him. No one is entirely unknown by God, but to be known in this way is to become his kin. Thus, when Christ says, “I know mine,” he means, “I will receive them, and give them permanent mystical kinship with myself.” It might be said that inasmuch as he has become man, he has made all human beings his kin, since all are members of the same race; we are all united to Christ in a mystical relationship because of his incarnation. Yet those who do not preserve the likeness of his holiness are alienated from him… . “My sheep follow me,” says Christ. By a certain God-given grace, believers follow in the footsteps of Christ. No longer subject to the shadows of the Law they obey the commands of Christ, and guided by his words rise through grace to his own dignity, for they are called children of God. When Christ ascends into heaven, they also follow him.
Roman Catholic Ordinary Calendar – rosary,team