Entrance Antiphon
These are the holy men whom the Lord chose in his own sheer love; and he gave them eternal glory.
Collect
O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name, grant graciously, through the intercession of Saints Simon and Jude, that the Church may constantly grow by increase of the peoples who believe in you. Through our Lord. . .
FIRST READING
Built upon the foundation of the apostles.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:19-22)
Brethren: You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 19:1-2.3-4ab (R. 4a)
R/.Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands.
Day unto day conveys the message,
and night unto night imparts the knowledge. R.
No speech, no word, whose voice goes unheeded;
their sound goes forth through all the earth,
their message to the utmost bounds of the world. R.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia. We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as the Lord; the glorious band of apostles sings your praise, O Lord! Alleluia.
GOSPEL
He chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 6:12-19)
In these days Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles; Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came forth from him and healed them all.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
Scripture tells us little about Simon the Zealot and Jude who was also called Thaddaeus. Jude is the patron saint of lost and desperate causes. Put together we can understand the zeal with which they followed Christ in his earthly ministry. And beyond that, think of the persecution they faced after the Ascension. Our Christian Journey is decorated with trials, temptation and persecution but we must take courage from those who have gone before us in faith, to understand that there is a crown of unfading glory awaiting us. Jesus Christ our Lord and master have gone through the worst case scenario. So we know that not only do we participate in Christ’s suffering, we share in his glory. As we celebrate the feast of Saints Simon and Jude we pray for strength and courage to live a holy life. May these saints continue to intercede for us.