Jesus says to his disciples:  You did not choose me: no, I chose you.

I do not call you servants, I call you friends.

These must have been very consoling words for the disciples to hear.

Jesus, in this passage, silences the internal voices of self-accusation that could try to distract the disciples from their mission.  

The internal voice that turns our attention to ourselves, instead of focusing on the work he has given us.  I’m not worthy of being a disciple.  I’m not good enough, or holy enough, or smart enough.

Jesus silenced that voice in the disciples that day, when he said to them “You did not choose me, I chose you.  I do not call you servants, I call you friends.”

Consoling words indeed.  It would be nice if we could hear these words. (pause)

In the 1^st reading the disciples realize that the Lord had intended that there be 12 Apostles, so they had to fulfill the number by discerning a replacement for Judas.

They go through a process of discernment.   They do their best to make a good choice.  They eliminate the possibilities that don’t seem right.  They try to keep their mind on the important characteristics.  And then, once they have limited it down to only good choices, they entrust themselves to the will of the Lord and essentially throw the dice.  And the Scripture says that the Lord, once again, chooses.

The disciples do all they can to eliminate the options that would be displeasing to the Lord, using their best judgment they select a set of good options, and then they surrender themselves to the Lord’s will, and enter into the mystery of the Lord’s guidance.  “You did not choose me, I chose you.”  They hear once again. 

This same process is available to us through the Holy Spirit.

When we are trying to make an important decision we can eliminate the options that are not pleasing to the Lord.  Use our best judgment to select a few possibilities that seem good.  And then entrust the decision to the Lord.  When we do this we enter into the mystery of the Lord’s guidance.  And we can hear Jesus reassure us: “You did not choose me, I chose you.  I do not call you servants, I call you friends.”  And we can allow Jesus to silence the interior voice of the internal voices of self-accusation that turns our attention to ourselves, instead of focusing on the work he has given us.