The mission of the twelve

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

REFLECTION He chose Twelve. We remember today two of the 12 pillar Apostles of Jesus. Simon and Judas are named as disciples whom Jesus chooses to be Apostles. The two are believed to have been martyred in Beirut around 65 AD.

Of Simon, we know rather little. Tradition identifies him as a “Canaanite” (from Canaan) or “Cananite” (from Cana) and even a cousin of the Lord Jesus. He is also called a Zealot, probably because he belonged to a Jewish sect called the Zealots (“Zealous of the Law”). Judas, identified as the son of James, is also known as Jude “Thaddeus” and is often invoked for “lost causes.”

Their varying background reminds us of the divine prerogative of choosing whomever God wills. They may not stand out according to our human standards, but the fact is that they are called by the Lord to be his close followers in fulfilling the will of the Father, giving them power and authority to share in, and later carry on, the mission of Jesus. May the zeal and dedication of Sts. Simon and Jude inspire us all.