Feasts of Sts. Simon and Jude, Monday – 28th October 2019 — Gospel: Lk 12,35-38
As Ambassadors for Christ
Today’s feast honours saints Simon and Jude, called by Jesus to be his apostles. St.Jude is regarded as patron saint of desperate cases and lost causes. St.Simon is hardly mentioned but is identified as a man of great religious zeal. Sts. Simon and Jude were directly called by Jesus himself, to be part of the twelve. They responded generously to His invitation to join him in his holy and healing work. Tradition believed that they preached the Gospel in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia, where they had been sent.
In Luke’s version of the calling of the twelve, the three terms “the disciples,” “the twelve,” and “apostles” appear in one verse (Lk 6,13). These terms are not synonymous and do not refer to the same groups. From the larger group of the disciples, he chose twelve and designated them to be apostles. The Greek word ‘apostolos’ refers to someone who is sent out, an envoy or an ambassador. Apostles are called to be Jesus’ ambassadors to people. In the Acts of the Apostles, many who were not among the twelve were called apostles. The twelve are chosen by Jesus after the vigilance of prayer. The initiative is always from God, but the response is from the human. The twelve accompany Jesus (Lk 6,17), bear witness to His work and continue His mission. In the gospel of Luke, call to follow Jesus is a call to imitate him. The disciple is a follower and admirer of Jesus. Jesus attracted large crowd of disciples (Lk 6,17). They followed Jesus in order to hear him and to be healed of their diseases (Lk 6,18).
