Memorial of the apostles Simon the Canaanite, called the Zealot, and Judas surnamed Thaddeus Read more
Memorial of the apostles Simon the Canaanite, called the Zealot, and Judas surnamed Thaddeus
Reading of the Word of God
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Luke 6, 12-16
Now it happened in those days that he went onto the mountain to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.
When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them 'apostles':
Simon whom he called Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon called the Zealot,
Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot who became a traitor.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
If we die with him, we shall live with him,
if with him we endure, with him we shall reign.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Today the Church remembers the Apostles Simon and Judas. Simon is called the “zealot” probably because he belonged to the anti-Roman group of zealots who at times used violence. Tradition says that he preached the Gospel in Samaria in Mesopotamia and died in Persia. Judas, called also Thaddeus which means “magnanimous,” is the Apostle who at the Last Supper asked Jesus to manifest himself only to the disciples and not to the world. His name appears last on the list of the Apostles. Tradition attributes the Epistle of Judas to him, a letter that was addressed to Jews who had converted. We know little of their lives, yet they are no less important than the others. Indeed, the most important thing in the Church is not fame but communion with the Lord and with our brothers and sisters. Yet often what happens in Community is what happened between the Apostles: discussions over who is the greatest. In the Church, the primary focus to be sought is to love and to serve willingly and generously. Jesus called every Apostle by name, including them, so as to underscore their dignity through his love. The love that ought to be between disciples stems from the love that Jesus shows us; it is a fraternal love that brings others to believe in God. In the Bible, a name is not just a useful way to call someone; it is much more: it signifies the story, heart, and life of everyone. When the Lord calls, it happens that one’s name changes, i.e. one’s heart is transformed and one receives a new vocation. For example, Simon became Peter meaning “rock” or “foundation”. To receive a name primarily means to be loved by God, to be indeed called by name. And it also means to receive from God a new task. Being known by name is one of the most precious treasures in life, even the simply human knowledge. The Lord exalts it even more: to be known by him and to call us by name is a sign of a love that has God’s seal. Seen this way, the dimension of familiarity that ought to characterize the life of the disciple should extend to all, starting with the poor. To get accustomed to calling the poor by name can be more than just a little disturbing; it is difficult. Yet there is a link between the name of the disciple and the name of the poor. It is indeed the gift of all being beloved sons and daughters of God, each one with his/her own name.
Prayer is the heart of the life of the Community of Sant'Egidio and is its absolute priority. At the end of the day, every the Community of Sant'Egidio, large or small, gathers around the Lord to listen to his Word. The Word of God and the prayer are, in fact, the very basis of the whole life of the Community. The disciples cannot do other than remain at the feet of Jesus, as did Mary of Bethany, to receive his love and learn his ways (Phil. 2:5).
So every evening, when the Community returns to the feet of the Lord, it repeats the words of the anonymous disciple: " Lord, teach us how to pray". Jesus, Master of prayer, continues to answer: "When you pray, say: Abba, Father". It is not a simple exhortation, it is much more. With these words Jesus lets the disciples participate in his own relationship with the Father. Therefore in prayer, the fact of being children of the Father who is in heaven, comes before the words we may say. So praying is above all a way of being! That is to say we are children who turn with faith to the Father, certain that they will be heard.
Jesus teaches us to call God "Our Father". And not simply "Father" or "My Father". Disciples, even when they pray on their own, are never isolated nor they are orphans; they are always members of the Lord's family.
In praying together, beside the mystery of being children of God, there is also the mystery of brotherhood, as the Father of the Church said: "You cannot have God as father without having the church as mother". When praying together, the Holy Spirit assembles the disciples in the upper room together with Mary, the Lord's mother, so that they may direct their gaze towards the Lord's face and learn from Him the secret of his Heart.
The Communities of Sant'Egidio all over the world gather in the various places of prayer and lay before the Lord the hopes and the sufferings of the tired, exhausted crowds of which the Gospel speaks ( Mat. 9: 3-7 ), In these ancient crowds we can see the huge masses of the modern cities, the millions of refugees who continue to flee their countries, the poor, relegated to the very fringe of life and all those who are waiting for someone to take care of them. Praying together includes the cry, the invocation, the aspiration, the desire for peace, the healing and salvation of the men and women of this world. Prayer is never in vain; it rises ceaselessly to the Lord so that anguish is turned into hope, tears into joy, despair into happiness, and solitude into communion. May the Kingdom of God come soon among people!
For the sick, in memory of the dead, for peace
