Word to the Wise
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - St. Simon and St. Jude, Apostles
[Ephesians 2:19-22 and Luke 6:13-16]Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.......Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James...... [Gospel of Luke] You are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the househoold of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and the prophets....[Letter to the Ephesians]
It is important to note the word, "Twelve," in the quotation from today's gospel scripture, and also that the American bishops decided to capitalize the "T" in it. ("Capital" letters did not exist in the Greek manuscripts!). This serves to emphasize both the number and the group! Jesus chose twelve as his closest associates to emphasize the "new" Israel that the church would become. The "old" Israel was based on the twelve "tribes" descended from the twelve sons of Jacob. This group number was so important that when Judas the Iscariot was lost, there had to be a replacement! The group became known as "The Twelve." They became the theological foundation mentioned in the quote from Ephesians in the first scripture for today. Simon the Zealot appears to have been a member of one of the many resistance groups to the Roman occupation. We know only legendary things about Judas son of James (to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot). Since I am currently preaching a novena in New Orleans in honor of St. Jude, whose reputation for helping hopeless cases makes him their patron, the celebration today will emphasize him. I have been impressed with the numbers who have attended the devotional services. Many of them have very serious and chronic challenges in health, children, spouses, parents, employment and other forms of suffering, and seek God's help through the intercession of St. Jude. Since St. Jude is part of the "foundation of the Apostles and prophets," it is consoling to know that his kind of help is "built in" the foundation of the Body of Christ. At one time or another in our lives, we all become "hopeless cases." AMEN
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