REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME. (SAINTS SIMON & JUDE) 28TH OCTOBER 2023

REFLECTION/HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 29TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME. (SAINTS SIMON & JUDE) 28TH OCTOBER 2023

Eph.2:19-22; Ps.19; Luke 6:12-19

Faithfulness in Anonymity

The gospel reading of today is Luke’s account of Jesus’ selection of his twelve apostles. It is only in Luke’s account that this selection was done after Jesus had spent some time in prayer. This variance from other gospels does not suggest a contradiction in presentation or that the account of the other synoptic gospels is less authentic; rather, it was the case that Luke had a special interest in highlighting the prayerfulness of Jesus. Other synoptic gospels had their focus too especially in relation to their audience.

Today too, we celebrate the feast of two of the selected apostles: Simon and Jude. Interestingly not much is recorded about them. It is interesting because it is in this little record that so much can be said and learnt from them. God calls us to win souls for him but through different paths.

Not all of Jesus’ disciples were popular yet they remained collaborators; playing unique roles as assigned them by the Lord. Their different levels of popularity did not translate to hierarchy of importance. Peter is not greater than Jude because he was more popular than Jude. Christ did not reward John more than Simon (whom we celebrate today) because the former was more famous than the latter.

Beloved, popularity is not a sign of greater holiness or commitment to evangelization. When we make the mistake of tying importance to popularity, we distract ourselves and others. Today, many persons merely struggle to be popular without the desire to be faithful; that is, without meaningfully contributing to the development of the society. For example someone wants to acquire a chieftaincy title not because he possesses enviable virtues for emulation but because he wants to be among the elites in the society.

God is not moved by our titles but by the quality of our witnessing. Titles may intimidate men but never God. The first reading tells us that we are built upon the foundation of the apostles. The apostles qualify as solid foundation of the faith due to their commitment to evangelization. If it was a matter of popularity, then Simon and Jude will not be among the apostles who constitute a firm foundation of our faith.

To acquire a title without a corresponding spirit of service is to be pharisaic. You do not need the world to know you because you are not answerable to the world. You will not miss heaven because the world does not know you; but you will surely miss heaven if God does not know you. It is the owner of the house that determines who comes in.