28 October 2019
Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
In today’s Gospel, St. Luke tells us that he chose his apostles from among his many followers, or disciples, and that he did so after spending the night in prayer. There were other times too before making crucial decisions when he spent the night in prayer, a fact that shows how important he placed this choice before him.
Luke also shows that these twelve chosen men, the first bishops of the Church, were immediately associated with the mission the Father had given to Jesus, and that despite their singular calling, one would betray him.
We do not know much about Sts. Simon and Jude, other than the fact that they had different personalities; yet the same calling. But that fact stresses what Paul wrote: “Neither the planter nor the waterer counts for anything, only God who gives growth (1 Co. 3:7).
At the same time, recent history of the Church demonstrates how desperately we need good bishops for planting and watering in the open fields of the Lord. Today let us join with the prayer of Jesus to the Father for our bishops, begging him to add to their number more chosen disciples like Saints Simon and Jude, and not being surprised when a Judas shows up.