Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles

In those days he departed to the mountain to pray and he spent the night in prayer to God. – Luke 6:12

       I went back to Manila from Tagbilaran by plane while my fiancé, Hester, left for Cagayan de Oro that evening. On the way home from the airport, I learned there was an oncoming storm. My heart went cold thinking about Hester’s boat ride. I calmed down when I passed by a big billboard exhorting me to trust in God’s Word. I then remembered the words in Isaiah 43:2, assuring me that God would be with Hester and he would be safe.

       He called me when they were out to sea. He calmly told me that the waters were rough. But in the background, I could hear another person on the boat with him—and she was loud about her fear!

       I will never forget that night because I couldn’t sleep. I prayed and prayed and prayed. It was while praying the Rosary that the Lord reassured me of Hester’s safety, as well as the others with him, and of our future together. The Lord saw us through that difficult night.

       Prayer is the oxygen of the Christian life. It is the dew in the morning, the rainfall at noon, the moon at night. We simply cannot live the Godly life without prayer. And if Jesus Himself prayed the whole night before making a major decision, how much more should we? Joy Sosoban-Roa (jsosoban@gmail.com)

Reflection: “Abiding fully means praying much.” (Andrew Murray)

Give me grace, Lord, to make my life a constant prayer. Teach me, Lord, how to pray.

Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles, pray for us.

The Apostles of Jesus are the first to realize that they are called to live as though they were not even here on earth, let alone attached to their existence. One of the great dangers of the modern age is that we seek to acquire many things on the ground that will help improve our lives but to the point of becoming enslaved by them. This is a very unhealthy state to be in.

19 Brothers and sisters: So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, 20 built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. 21 Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; 22 in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

R: Their message goes out through all the earth.

1 [2] The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 [3] Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 3 [4] Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; 4 [5] through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message. (R)

Today is the Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. It is good to remember them even if we know next to nothing about them. As Apostles, they model for us the commitment necessary to become disciples of Jesus; as martyrs, they constantly challenge us to take that one extra step in obeying God’s will. Let us be more responsive to God’s grace today.

We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of apostles praise you.

12 Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

think:  Let us be more responsive to God’s grace today.

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 21-24

CAPTAIN OR CAPSTONE?

My many years in formation work showed me how difficult it is to unite young people who come from markedly different cultures. Putting them together in common activities for short durations is no big problem, but making them live and work together for long stretches can pose a problem.

       It must have been quite similar during the time of St. Paul. He writes to the Ephesians, who were former Gentiles, but who had to rub shoulders with Christians of Jewish background.

       Back in my seminary formator days, it was hard to make those from Luzon and those from the south form a solid, united front, and agree with each other on many issues, except on one particular issue.

       And that one element — a kind of capstone, if you will — was sports, particularly football. After some years, I realized that all they needed to forge incipient unity as a batch was to let them have competitive matches with outside teams. Soon, certain individuals shine and take over as informal leaders. Sooner or later, one or two particular players become MVPs (Most Valuable Player) in their own right and prove indispensable to keep the team together.

       The former act very much like foundation stones, while the latter become the equivalent of the capstone that holds the team together. Both, however, are responsible for making the team grow in skills and strategies.

       Becoming a Church is a little like a team initially groping for unity and strength. We need people like Simon and Jude, whom Paul describes as foundation stones. But important as they may be, foundation stones need much more to complete the edifice. We, as Church, need Christ, the capstone that holds the whole structure together.

         Young seminarians may find a common cause in football, but more than just football is needed to make them form “a worthy dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” They don’t need just a captain. They need a capstone: Christ! Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

REFLECTION QUESTION: What or who is the capstone of your life? Of your family? Of your team?