(d.80) A witness to the Resurrection of Jesus, Saint Matthias was the Apostle that replaced Judas Iscariot after his betrayal and death. We can read about Saint Matthias in Acts 1:15-26. Tradition holds that he was stoned to death in the year 80. He is the patron of carpenters and against alcoholism.

Saint Matthias encourages us to follow the spiritual principles of integrity and discipline. Integrity means being integrated and undivided in our different parts, especially between spirit and body. Original sin destroyed the integrity humanity was created to have. Discipline leads back to this unity.

“We must combat our flesh, set no value upon it, and concede to it nothing that can flatter it, but rather increase the growth of our soul by faith and knowledge” (Saint Matthias, attributed to him by Saint Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, III, 4).

Reflection by Brad Farmer