Saint Matthias, Apostle: 1st Reading

Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers and sisters
   (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons
   in the one place).
He said, “My brothers and sisters,
   the Scripture had to be fulfilled
   which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand
   through the mouth of David, concerning Judas,
   who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus.
Judas was numbered among us
   and was allotted a share in this ministry.
For it is written in the Book of Psalms:

    Let his encampment become desolate,
       and may no one dwell in it.
and:
      May another take his office.

Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men
   who accompanied us the whole time
   the Lord Jesus came and went among us,
   beginning from the baptism of John
   until the day on which he was taken up from us,
   become with us a witness to his resurrection.”
So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas,
   who was also known as Justus, and Matthias.
Then they prayed,
   “You, Lord, who know the hearts of all,
   show which one of these two you have chosen
   to take the place in this apostolic ministry
   from which Judas turned away to go to his own place.”
Then they gave lots to them, and the lot fell upon Matthias,
   and he was counted with the Eleven Apostles.