Not Celebrity, But Commitment

Homily for the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude

St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians identifies who and what we are: we are no longer strangers and sojourners, but a Church built on the foundation of the apostles. He declares that we are holy. The meaning of that word is best expressed as someone set apart, members of God’s household. He states unequivocally that Jesus is the head of that household. Saints Simon and Jude, though lesser-known, are part of that household, part of its foundation. Their obscurity doesn’t diminish their importance. Other apostles are better known. It is said that the reason that St. Jude is the patron of helpless or hopeless cases is the fact that his name is the same as that of the one who betrayed Jesus; therefore, he is the last of the apostles that people turn to when they need an intercessor. The Church is not built on celebrity, but on commitment. Simon and Jude remind us that quiet fidelity shapes eternity.

While all three of the synoptic Gospels include an enumeration of the names of the apostles, Saint Luke adds an important detail; namely, Jesus appointed these 12 disciples, as his apostles after a night of prayer. Like so many of the important moments in the life of Jesus, this moment was preceded by prayer. This underscores the sacredness of vocation and mission. Simon the Zealot and Jude Thaddaeus were chosen not for popularity, but for purpose. God does not choose the qualified; He qualifies the chosen. Simon and Jude were chosen in prayer, and so are we.

The response of Psalm 19 notes that the heavens proclaim God’s glory without words. This mirrors the silent witness of Simon and Jude. Their lives, like the stars, speak through faithfulness rather than noise. Like the stars, they and we are called to shine—not to be seen, but to illuminate.

Simon is called the Zealot—his passion was redirected toward the Kingdom of God. Jude is patron of desperate causes—his intercession brings hope when all seems lost. When life feels impossible, remember Jude. When passion feels misdirected, remember Simon. God transforms both into pillars of His Church. Recommit to their role in the Church’s foundation. Pray for the zeal of Simon and the hope of Jude. Trust that their quiet faithfulness is building something eternal.

We celebrate their memory through the Eucharist remembering that they were present when Jesus first instituted the sacrament.