Today we remember Saint Simon and Saint Jude. The testimony of these two men makes us reflect on our following of Christ. What led them to give their lives for Jesus? The Resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit poured out at Pentecost, have been the main events leading to the announcement of the Kingdom of God.
In the Gospel that the liturgy offers us today, Saint Luke shows us the steps that Jesus takes before sending us on mission. The first one is PRAYER. Before making the choice, Jesus goes to the mountains to pray. He wants to enter into dialogue with his Father, He wants to discuss the men He views as his closest collaborators. It is not just any prayer; the text tells us that Jesus prayed all night. It would be good to ask ourselves how much time we spend talking to God when we have to make a decision.
Second, “when day came, he CALLED his disciples to himself, and from them he CHOSE Twelve.” The election of the apostles will mark a before and after in the life of each one of them. From that moment on, it will no longer be their words, nor their actions, but the words and actions of Christ that move them through the world. When we have had a true encounter with Jesus and we respond to His call, our lives are not the same.
Finally, this call from Jesus sends us on MISSION. What a great gift! It is an undeserved gift from God that we carry in clay pots. To be his disciples to bring the Good News to those who suffer, the downcast, the poor, the marginalized, the prisoners, the sick, the children, the elderly, the most vulnerable. Jesus knows what we are made of, He knows our weakness, and even with everything, He wants to entrust us with a mission, to bring the joy of Salvation to everyone. This call is for every Christian; it is FOR YOU.
My dear brothers and sisters may the witness of Simon and Jude renew in us the desire to live devoted to the Gospel. Pray that God grants us what is necessary so that we bear witness with our words and deeds, that Jesus IS TRULY THE LORD, who gave sight to the blind, heals the lepers, and feeds us with his Body and Blood.