THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Thursday of 30^th week in Ordinary time, 2021

Eph 2:19-22

Ps

Luke 6:12-19

Feast of Sts Simon and Jude Apostles

He Chose Them

Dear friends in Christ, you probably hear your name called several times daily. There are times when a call even if it is by phone, could mark a life-changing experience. Consider the call to bar, the call through the isle on wedding day, think of the call on the day of baptism, confirmation, ordination, or the call up letter of admission, graduation, honour etc. These calls are beyond just the mention of one’s name. They are the calls people wait for, all of their lives, the calls that change their world. We celebrate today, two people who were called and chosen to become part of the foundation of the Christian faith— Saints Simon and Jude.

Simon who is called the Zealot or Cananaeus was one of the disciples of Jesus who eventually was part of the chosen twelve. Not much is written about him, but he is believed to have worked strenuously for the spread of the Gospel and suffered martyrdom. St Jude who is also referred to as Thaddaeus was the one who questioned Jesus on why he showed himself to the Apostles only and not to the world. For many centuries he was scarcely venerated, because he was confused with the other Apostle by the same name—Judas Iscariot. He is the writer of the letter of St Jude. He is venerated as the patron saint of lost and desperate causes.

Our first reading reminds us of one of the truths of our faith, that it was built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, Christ himself being the cornerstone…” Just as the nation of Israel is built on its twelve tribes, so is the Church with it’s beginning on the twelve Apostles. Paul tells us therefore, that from wherever and whichever generation, no one is a stranger or just an onlooker. Baptised into Christ Jesus, we are all stakeholders in the faith that has come down to us from Christ through the Apostles. We are therefore members of the household of God. That’s how fortunate we are in Christ.

The Gospel reveals to us the list of the Apostles and of course includes the two whose feast we celebrate today— Simon the Zealot and Judas son of James. The decision to choose these men for the office of service to the universal church we were told was not a child’s play. “Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night, he continued in prayer to God.” The great and small decisions of our lives are better made with prayer. There is no time when prayer is not needed. Jesus started and ended everything with prayer, what about you?

Let us pray: Lord, thank you for calling and choosing me. Help me to be a true disciple of yours to the world of today. Amen. 

+Remain blessed