Nomination for a Vocation !

This is the first in the series of the Formative thoughts that I feel ready to share as my reflection. 

Let me begin with the theme; Nomination for a calling

In the Acts of the Apostles in the New Testament of the Bible, there is a reference to the formation of a first pilgrim community in the Upper Room, Acts:1.12-26. This meeting of 120 people consisted of 11 disciples, and other men and women. We are told that this took place after the ascension of Jesus of Nazareth. They returned to Jerusalem from the Mount olivet and 'met in the upper room, where they were staying' (v13). It is to the place where the eleven the disciples were staying, the others, 120 of them were invited for a gathering.

Their mission in this meeting was to choose an apostle in the place of Judas Iscariot.

I find five significant experiences worth reflecting on the theme: 'Nominating for a vocation'

1. Devoting to prayer (v.14)

They were praying continually with one mind. This is a reference to the unity of intention, attitude and desire to discern the way forward. They had a commission given to them by Jesus when He was lifted  up from theIR midst, which we read in Mat.28.19-20, 'go therefore and make disciples of all nations,....I am with you  always even to the end of the age'. In the final meeting with the disciples, Jesus instructed them not to leave  Jerusalem (v4) and promised that '... you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses...' (v8). These two statements, one a commission and another a promise had united the followers of Jesus to agree upon their purpose of meeting and waiting. The way they pursued to have one mind was by continuous prayer. A distinct effect of prayer is evident here. They were brought together for prayer to discern the way forward and  they prayed with one mind to experience prayer experience leading them. 

Prayer became a means to stay in touch with Christ whose absence from their midst was now real and permanent. We are not aware of the form of prayers practiced in this assembly, but from the effect of prayer which followed on, it is suffice to say that the prayer experience created an ambience of love, trust, hope and openness to be guided. Those who met with one accord to pray got further deeply drawn in to the mystery of God during the season of prayer. Prayer became an inner journey experience to transcend their own thoughts and expectations. Prayer moves us to feel that 'it is in God we live, move and have our being'! Prayer sets us free from our usual patterns and leads us to a journey to be 'transformed by the renewing of your mind'(Romans12.2).

I feel that spontaneous spoken prayer and liturgical prayers are ether commonest forms of prayer I come across. I wish we would also follow a habit of prayer of silence and contemplative prayer !

2. Debriefing of the context (v 15-20)

It is a long passage telling us how Peter reflected to consolidate the disturbing thoughts about Judas to align with the passages in the scripture about Judas Iscariot. I like the way Peter referred to the vulnerability of Judas, by describing him as one 'who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus' (v16). This is an edifying language of patience, understanding and forgiveness. How we tend to remember Judas is by thinking of hm as a 'traitor, betrayer, or one who was used to pilfer money from the common purse', etc. But using the Old Testament passages Peter freed Judas from being a criminal but, described him as one, 'who was counted among us and received his portion in this ministry'. Peter made a good effort to diffuse anger, hatred or reservation about Judas by referring to the wrong choice he made in vulnerable circumstances. Jesus dealt with a thief on the cross who was hanging beside him gently and blessed him with the gift of paradise. Jesus addressed Judas in the garden of Gethsemne when he came to guide others to arrest Jesus, as 'Friend'.

 Peter's debriefing the story of Judas in this manner was to allow the grace of forgiveness to grow within all of them. In v.25 this moderate approach was further expressed, ' Judas turned aside to go to his own place'. This change in perspective would not have happened normally but in the ambience of continual prayer. Peter's confession of a sobering approach towards Judas was a message in season for all the disciples, who too needed comfort and instruction to receive Judas with understanding and not with judgement. This is what good leaders would often do. Instead of reinforcing an accusing approach to a defaulter, he or she would find an uplifting avenue to restore conciliation and redeem the person from slipping in to an abyss.

For ever forward movement of substance and purpose, there is a need to revisit the affairs that are within and without to be relevantly prepared and freed to move on!

3. Interpreting the future (v 21-22)

These two verses truly expressed the grief that Peter too felt about Judas who was absent from the group of those who accompanied Jesus. The fact that Peter referred to the time from John's baptism (v22) that they were together as disciples with Jesus, does suggest that sorrow and loss was still lingering on account of  Judas who was not with them. What made this not depressive was the resolve with which Peter invited the attention of all present the future, '...one of these should become a witness with us of His resurrection' (v22). Peter did refer to the valley experience just enough to grieve, but directed the group to the way forward. 

This balance of resolve and clarity is another insight good leaders would exercise to lead a group out of a despairing situation into an opportunity.  Some of us make the choice to make to analyse a difficult situation even when we know that it is not redeemable and can drag others to further stress.  Sometimes the hurting event might need some attention to draw lessons for the future, but the focus ought to be on moving on into the future.

What we do today contribute to the future. It is a from a valley we get a glimpse of the mountain better. Our disappointments might be God's appointments. 

4. Collective thinking (v.23)

'And they put forward two men, Joseph... and Matthias.' We have no idea who represent this 'they'! It is likely that this might have been done by the disciples with or without consultation. Some preparation would have taken place to come to this short listing. The two mentioned to be considered were people who were fairly familiar to others. This was an invitation towards a public participation in the final choice of a person to be nominated as an apostle. The presentation of the two probables to a group of 120 people gives us a model that we too can follow, while considering people for any leadership position. 

This pattern has been the practice at CMC Vellore for at least thirty years when people are to be nominated to leadership positions. All the faculty participate in a nomination process from which a short listing is made to get more input through a second round of consultation. Having been part of leading this process for four years at the CMC governing board, I feel that this practice has its origin in this Biblical model. The last time I had to be involved in leading the group to choose the director for CMC, we turned this into a prayerful ambience, although there were some difficulties. The spirit  behind this process is for openness, consultation, and for being guided beyond our normal inclinations.

One plus one is mathematically 2, but one stream from the left and another stream from the right join to form a larger one river. That is the effect when people join their hearts for a collective decision making. 

5. Choice by fairness (v 24-26) 

The final step started by prayer and ended with casting lots. I feel moved by the prayer in v.24, 'Thou, Lord who knows the hearts of all men, show which one of these two thou hast chosen'. The assumption  that God has chosen is explicit in this prayer. This indeed is the foundation of all the choices we are called to discover when we have to nominate someone to a responsibility. The whole exercise is to discern the one upon whom God has placed His approval of acceptance for a responsibility. 

Th Papal process of election follows this process to a large extent. There is a progressive discerning process by narrowing down to a fewer people leading to the final one through casting votes. Although we do not follow the process of casting lots most of the times, but go by consensus, the important process is prayer and discernment. In our context where there is canvassing for leadership and sometimes much more than that, I feel that choice by fairness is the Biblical model. 

I recall having been in positions of responsibility in the governing boards of six Christian organisations in India during the last 25 years, at the time of choosing a successor to the leader of the organisation. Those who feel that they are the natural choice to leadership are the ones who often feel hurt, when the choice falls on someone else through the discerning process. 

The decisiveness the casting of the lots does is a big advantage, when the choice has to be made between two equally eligible or deserving people. When all the parameters go in favour of one person much above that of the others the choice becomes more evident, although the post selection disappointment of those not chosen cannot be peacefully settled sometimes.  

The Biblical passage illustrates that the choice of a new apostle was for a life of vocation as a witness to Jesus of Nazareth. The one 'pre-destined' is the one eligible to be chosen for a leadership position might sound an overstatement. But there is a lot of truth in its favour.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)