October 28, 2021

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Lectionary: 666

Reading I

Eph 2:19-22

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

Responsorial Psalm

19:2-3, 4-5

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

Alleluia

See Te Deum

1. Alleluia, alleluia.
   We praise you, O God,
   we acclaim you as Lord;
   the glorious company of Apostles praise you.
   R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Lk 6:12-16

Jesus went up to 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, Matthew,
Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,
Simon who was called a Zealot,
and Judas the son of James,
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Reflection: THE APOSTLES OF TRUTH

The Gospel today invites us to reflect on the twelve who were chosen to live with Jesus, being apostles. Before choosing the twelve, Jesus spent a whole night in prayer. He prays in order to know whom to choose. Apostle means one who is 'sent', a 'missionary'. They were called to carry out a mission, the same mission that Jesus received from His Father. Mark is more concrete and says that God called them to be with Him and He sends them on mission. Coming down from the mountain with the twelve, Jesus found an immense crowd of people who were trying to hear His words and to touch Him, because people knew that power came out of Him. They were common people, like us. They had their strengths and their weaknesses. They are: (1) Peter, a generous person, full of enthusiasm but weak in moments of danger. (2) James and John who are ready to suffer with and for Jesus, but violent. (3) Philip had a nice welcoming way, but he was not practical. (4) Andrew, the brother of Peter and friend of Philip, was more practical. Philip goes to him to solve the problems. Andrew calls Peter, and Andrew found the boy who had five loaves of bread and two fish. (5) Bartholomew seems to be Nathanael. (6) Thomas was generous, ready to die with Jesus. (7) Matthew or Levi was a Publican, a tax collector, like Zaccheus. (8) Simon, instead, was called Zealot. (9) Judah betrayed Jesus. (10) James son of Alphaeus, and Judas Thaddeus. The Gospels say nothing of these two; they only mention their name.