January 2, 1922. The weather was crisp and clear, a perfect day for football. Out on the field the nationally ranked Centre College was giving the Aggies of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, a serious run for their money.

The Aggies were shorthanded from the get-go, due to injuries in the squad. As the hard fought game wore on, the Aggies dug deeply into their limited reserves. Coach Dana Bible was growing concerned. If the injuries continued, they would be in serious trouble, perhaps unable to finish the game. Then he remembered a squad man who was not in uniform. E. King Gill was his name, and he was up in the press box helping reporters identify players. Gill was a former football player who was now playing basketball. Coach Bible sent word up to Gill to come on down, he was needed on the field. Without hesitation, Gill said yes. He suited up and stood on the sidelines through the remainder of the game, ready to go in whenever the coach might say the word.

As it turned out, A&M College won the game 22-14, with E. King Gill the only man left standing on the sidelines for the Aggies. He said later, "I wish I could say that I went in and ran for the winning touchdown, but I did not. I simply stood by in case my team needed me."

Well that was good enough for the Aggies! Although he didn't actually play, Gill had accepted the call to help his team, and so came to be known as the "12th Man" because he stood ready for duty in the event that the 11 men on the gridiron needed assistance.

Gill couldn't have known it then, but his yes to Coach Bible inspired the entire student body of what is now Texas A&M University, who began a tradition, continued to this day, of standing through all 4 quarters of every Fightin' Texas Aggie football game to show their support for the team. The whole student body considers itself today's "12th Man," ready to say yes if called upon to help.

Thank God there have always been those dedicated ones who are willing to "suit up" and go out…to say yes when called upon to serve! St. Matthias, whose feast day we celebrate today, was just such a person. He literally became the 12th man! And he stepped forward in such an interesting and unique time in the Christian story.

Matthias' call came in that short but odd period of time, that liminal time between Christ's ascension and Pentecost. These were days of unknowing, days of a thousand questions. The resurrected Christ had given his followers an assignment to be his witnesses throughout the world, then he ascended into heaven, leaving them alone. Though he had promised the Holy Spirit, they had no idea when the Holy Spirit would come, or what that would look like, or what that would mean for their lives.

To their great credit, they spent this in-between time doing what all believers should do in days of unknowing: they gathered together; they prayed together; they read scripture together. In this case they read Psalms. It was from those readings that Peter determined that a 12th man was needed to take the place left empty by Judas Iscariot. Two were qualified: Joseph, called Barsabbus and Matthias. Only one was called.

We don't know what happened to Joseph, but we do know what happened to Matthias. He was called, in what to us is an unconventional sort of manner -- by casting lots. Nevertheless, he was called and he said yes. The other eleven disciples, of course, had said yes, too, and as difficult as their commitment may have been, at least they had Jesus, live and in person to follow.

But Matthias' call was different. His call was to become a leader in a group whose hero had been nailed to a cross, like a common criminal, a hero who was now "missing in action." Who knew what would happen next?

However, Matthias, with great courage, was willing to trust the future he could not know to the Christ that he did know. He said yes, clearly understanding that to accept leadership in this group was to accept the real possibility of immanent death. Yes. What a powerful word.

We, like Matthias, live in days of unknowing. We don't know what tomorrow will bring, yet we too have been invited to leadership in this movement that follows the "Crucified God," to borrow Moltmann's phrase.

I look out at you, the students and faculty of ETSS and I see a room full of yes people, an inspiring room full of yes people. Some of you will remember Nancy Reagan's approach to drug use: pin-on buttons that read: Just Say No! You all are the opposite of that. You have JUST SAY YES inscribed on your hearts.

You are people who have left behind lucrative and/or comfortable careers to say yes to God's call on your life. You have embraced tremendous inconvenience…uprooting families or engaging in tedious weekend commutes…some 4 hours, some 6 hours, every week…because you said yes. Others of you have said yes, and accepted extraordinary challenges, only to have your diocese decide that they no longer have need of you. But instead of quitting, you are willing to live into your yes, in spite of all the uncertainty and fear. You have been willing to say yes and to put your future into the loving hands of God. I am honestly in awe of you. Your faithfulness inspires me and I feel privileged to count myself as one of you.

And yet, the hard truth of the matter is that yes is not a one time statement. We are called to say yes to God every single day of our lives.

Yes, God, I will go where you lead me.
Yes, God, I will forgive her, even though she hurt me so deeply.
Yes, God, I will love him as you love me, even though I'd honestly rather punch him in the nose!
Yes, God, I will do whatever you ask, and I will love you with my whole heart.

This is our calling as disciples of Christ, to be, like Matthias, yes people.
It's a daily surrender, a daily yes, to what St. Paul would call death to self and life to God.

I have a favorite prayer of surrender, a yes prayer. It is from Prayer at Night's Approaching by Jim Cotter. I affectionately call this my book of "night-night" prayers. I invite you to close you eyes prayerfully as I read:

A Prayer of Surrender

Abba…

Amma…

Beloved…

I abandon myself into your hands…

In your love for me do as you will…

Whatever that may prove to be, I am thankful…

I am ready for all, I accept all…

Let only your will be done in me, as in all your creatures, and I will ask nothing else…

Into your hands I commend my whole being…

I give you myself with the love of my heart…

For I love you, my God, and so I need to give…

To surrender myself into your hands…

With a trust beyond measure…

For you are my faithful creator…

Abba…

Amma…

Beloved…

Friend…

AMEN