The Feast of
Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles
(Ephesians 2:19-22; Luke 6:12-16)
Today’s feast celebrates, using St. Paul’s phrase, “the
last of the apostles.” At least, they
are mentioned last on the lists of apostles in the gospels except for Judas
Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer. Simon and
Jude are taken together today, perhaps because so little is known about either
historically.
Scholars debate the meaning of “zealot” by which Luke’s
gospel identifies Simon. In Matthew and
Mark, Simon is called the Cananean, but that is just a transcription of the Hebrew
word for “zealot.” “Zealot” may describe
someone “jealous of the law.” It could be
said that “zealous” means “fanatical” today.
Or it could mean “revolutionary,” which is to say a fanatic who is
willing to perpetuate violence for his/her cause.
Interestingly, Matthew and Mark give “Thaddeus” as an
alternative for “Jude” in Luke. The
tradition has kept both names calling the eleventh apostle (in Luke) “Jude Thaddeus.” His name was really “Judas,” but English and
French translations usually disassociate him from the betrayer. Jude is a
forgotten saint. As he has been
recognized as the patron of hopeless causes, many turn to him for intercession.
The gospel is built upon reversals. Mary proclaimed how the lowly will be raised
and Jesus was raised from the dead after being crucified. He also said that the first will be last and the
last, first. Therefore, we need not
hesitate to seek the assistance of these two apostles. They stayed close to Christ on earth and cannot
be far from him in eternal life.
