Casting Lots

Boldly, St. Peter claims he will never leave the side of Jesus even at the threat of death. Cowardly, St. Peter follows Jesus from afar on the eve of His Passion. Dejectedly, St. Peter returns to his fishing business after Jesus is placed in the tomb. Encouraged, St. Peter witnesses St. Thomas' hands go into the side of Christ. Devotedly, St. Peter awaits the descent of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost.

Strikingly, one of the very next acts after all these events is for St. Peter to throw reason to wind and cast lots for the replacement of Judas; a replacement that he himself discerned. "'So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us – one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.' And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsab'bas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthi'as. And they prayed and said, "Lord, you know the hearts of all men, show which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place." And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthi'as; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles." (Ac 1 : 21-28, RVS)

To me, it is paradoxical to consider that St. Peter both held the Keys to exercise his vested authority here on Earth and also would make one his early decisions by the chance of dice. However, this serves as a mirror which aligns with so many experiences as we move through life. Many times, what has seemed like chance has shaped the fortunes of our lives; a fullness of chance, meaning those events that we benefitted from as well as those events that seem to have brought a seemed of ruin, of pruning, of preparation for something else.

Some among us see gambling and chance as _malum en se_, wrong in and of itself, and all the time evil to be avoided. The Church cannot make such a