FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDE (APOSTLES) – HOMILY FOR SATURDAY 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)
THEME : JESUS CHOSES HIS TWELVE APOSTLE
By: Fr Deotacious Chikontwe SMA
READINGS OF THE DAY
Ephesians 2:19-22
Psalm 18:2-5
Luke 6:12-19
LITURGICAL COLOUR: RED
INTRODUCTION
Good Morning my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we celebrate the Feast of the two Apostles, namely Simon and Jude. Both of them were part of the Twelve Disciples, whom the Lord had called, chosen and appointed to be the principal assistants and supporters to His divine mission and works in this world.
WHO WAS SAINT SIMON THE APOSTLE?
Saint Simon was also known as Simon the Zealot, as a member of the Zealots, which was then one of the political parties and forces present within the Jewish community. He was also sometimes known as Simon the Canaanite to differentiate him from Saint Simon Peter the Rock. He likely followed the Lord Jesus initially because he hoped that Jesus would be the Messiah that the people, especially the Zealots were awaiting for, and hoping that He would lead them in triumph in battle and struggle for freedom from the Romans. Simon went to evangelise in many places, such as Egypt and others, and eventually went to join St. Jude in his efforts in Persia and Armenia, where they were martyred together, that is why we celebrate their feasts together on this day.
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WHO WAS SAINT JUDE THE APOSTLE?
Saint Jude was populary known as Jude Thaddeus or Judas Thaddeus, with the distinction from the traitor Judas Iscariot. Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles, called and chosen by the Lord to be the part of His innermost circle of disciples. It is said, that he carried out his mission and works with great zeal and commitment to God. He took up his duties and missions with great dedication, energy and perseverance, enduring a lot of challenges and trials during all of the efforts he had made for the sake and glory of the Lord.
ABOUT OUR FIRST READING OF TODAY
In today’s first reading, Paul tells us that we are all being built into a spiritual house where God lives, a holy temple in the Lord, the foundations of which are the apostles and the prophets. There is a striking image here of the church as a spiritual building made up of living stones, resting on the apostles and prophets. Elsewhere, Paul says that the cornerstone of this spiritual building is Jesus Christ.
FROM OUR GOSPEL READING OF THE DAY
The choosing of the twelve was a key decision for Jesus. It is only Luke who tells us, as we read in this morning’s gospel reading, that, before he chose the twelve, Jesus spent the whole night in prayer to God. This was a decision he prayed about; his choice of the twelve came out of his prayer. Indeed, Luke emphasizes that Jesus prayed before all the key moments of his life – just after his baptism, just before he set his face to go to Jerusalem, in the Garden of Gethsemane as he faced into his passion and death; on the cross just before his death.
CONCLUSION
The physical buildings we call churches are a symbol of that spiritual building in which we are all living stones. Just as our parish church has solid foundations, today’s feast reminds us that we as church have solid foundations as well. We rest on the apostles, like Simon and Jude, with the Lord as our cornerstone. Our calling is to allow our lives to be shaped by those foundations and that corner stone. The Lord who, according to our gospel reading, prayed all night before calling the twelve, intercedes for us all so that we may true to our calling to become living stones in the holy temple of the church. We become living stones by allowing the Lord to reveal his loving presence in the world in and through our lives.
Happy Feast of saints Jude and Simon the Zealot.
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