Ss. Simon and Jude gave their lives in service to Christ as His Apostles, bringing His words of salvation to many
Reflections on the readings for the Feast of Ss. Simon and Jude (October 28, 2022): EPH 2:19-22; PS 19:2-3,4-5; LK 6:12-16
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
Today we commemorate Apostles of Jesus, and once again, we know very little about them from the New Testament.
Today we commemorate Apostles of Jesus, and once again, we know very little about them from the New Testament. The Gospel reading mentions all those men whom Jesus chose to follow Him in a particularly close, but also demanding way. “He called His disciples to Himself, and from them He chose Twelve, whom He also named Apostles: Simon, whom He named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor” (Luke 6:13-16). Since we are told that St. Simon was a Zealot this could indicate his dedication to our Lord. However, at that time, it’s more possible that he was, or had been, a Jew dedicated to ousting the Romans from their homeland. Many of these partisans would have been willing to use any means necessary, including violence. Just as Christ chose humble fishermen and a tax collector to join this group, He saw something in Simon that caused Him to pick him to follow in His way. The second saint we remember is now called Jude to better distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. This Apostle was seems to have been a relative of Jesus; in the Gospels according to Ss. Matthew and Mark, he is referred to as Thaddeus. St. Jude is also considered by many to be the author of the Letter of Jude that is part of the New Testament writings.
We know no more about these two men from Scriptures. Along with the other Apostles, they would have set out to share the word of Christ our Savior as missionaries. According to some traditions, Ss. Simon and Jude were martyred in what was then Persia, possibly at the same time. St. Jude is now recognized as the patron of dire, even impossible situations. While the faithful sought the intercession of saints to help them from the early years of the Church, they might have been unwilling to trust someone with the same name as the Judas who betrayed our Lord. So when a problem seemed to be a lost cause, in desperation, they finally turned to Jude. Ss. Simon and Jude entrusted their hope and fidelity to Jesus. Whatever doubts or difficulties they may ever have endured, they devoted the final years of their lives in loving service to our Redeemer.
