Today we celebrate the feast of two almost anonymous apostles, Simon and Jude. Very little is known of their personal lives, yet history has remembered them for the work they did and the suffering they endured to promote Christ and his message.
St. Simon, who is not to be confused with Simon Peter, is described as a zealot, a word meaning “eager one”. Whether this meant he belonged to the Zealots who revolted against the Romans, or whether he was a zealous for the gospel, is uncertain. Tradition tells us that after preaching in Egypt, he joined St. Jude in Persia and was martyred with him.
Even less is known of St. Jude, sometimes called Thaddeus, a name meaning “brave one.” Tradition about Jude has it that he traveled to modern day Iraq to preach the gospel and was eventually clubbed to death as a martyr. As history unfolded, Jude became the patron saint of hopeless and desperate cases perhaps because he was relatively unknown, and, like all the apostles, persevered for Christ in harsh, difficult circumstances.
To celebrate these saints reminds us that we are part of a living tradition of being gospel messengers as well. By our baptism, we have been chosen by Christ, like they were, to spread this Gospel message and live it out in our daily lives.
Cardinal John Henry Newman wrote a beautiful reflection about our call and mission. It reads as follows:
The Mission of My Life
“God has created me to do Him some definite service.
He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another.
I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.
I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons.
He has not created me for naught. I shall do good; I shall do His work.
I shall be an angel of peace, a preacher of truth in my own place, while not intending it, if I do but keep His commandments.
Therefore, I will trust Him, whatever I am, I can never be thrown away.
If I am in sickness, my sickness may serve Him, in perplexity, my perplexity may serve Him.
If I am in sorrow, my sorrow may serve Him. He does nothing in vain.
He knows what He is about. He may take away my friends. He may throw me among strangers. He may make me feel desolate, make my spirits sink, hide my future from me.
Still, He knows what He is about.”
Saints Simon and Jude, inspire, challenge, and pray for us, and especially for those in Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and all in the Caribbean who will be affected by the fierce hurricane today. Amen.
