Saint Simon the Apostle and Saint Jude Thaddeus
Image Courtesy: St. Paul Street Evangelization
(Vatican) Today Christians honor two of the Twelve Apostles: Simon the Cananean and Jude Thaddeus (not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Christ) — Let us look at them together says Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, not only because they are placed next to each other in lists of the Twelve according to:
Matthew 10:3-4 Mark 3:18 Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13 but also because there is very little information about them, apart from the fact, the New Testament Canon preserves one Letter attributed to St. Jude Thaddeus.
Simon was given a nickname that varies in the four lists: While Matthew and Mark describe him as a ‘Cananean’ Luke instead describes him as a Zealot. — In fact, the two descriptions are equivalent because they mean the same thing. In Hebrew, the verb ‘qana’ means to be jealous, ardent and may be said both of God, since He is jealous with regard to His chosen people. See: Exodus 20:5 and of men who burn with zeal in serving the one true God with unreserved devotion such as Elijah. See: 1st Kings 19:10
Therefore it is highly likely that even if this Simon was not exactly a member of the nationalist movement of ‘zealots’ he was at least marked by passionate attachment to his Jewish identity, hence for God, his people and (the) Divine Law.
If this was the case, Simon was worlds apart from Matthew who–had an activity behind him as a tax collector, that was frowned upon as entirely impure. This shows that Jesus called His disciples and collaborators without exception, from the most varied social and religious backgrounds. It was people who interested Him, not social classes or labels and the best thing is, that in the group of His followers, despite their differences, they all lived side-by-side, overcoming imaginable difficulties. Indeed what bound them together was Jesus Himself, in whom they all found themselves united with one another.
This is clearly a lesson for us (today) who are often inclined to accentuate differences and even contrasts, forgetting that in Jesus Christ, we are given the strength to get the better of our continual conflicts.
Lets us also bear in mind, that the group of Twelve is the prefiguration of the Church, where there must be room for all charisms, people and races, all human qualities that find their composition and unity in communion with Jesus.
Then with regard to Jude Thaddeus, this is what tradition has called him, combining two different names, in fact: Matthew and Mark call him simply ‘Thaddeus’ Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 — Luke calls him ‘Judas son of James’ see: Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13
The nickname ‘Thaddeus’ is uncertain as explained either as originating from the Aramaic ‘tadda’ which means breast and would therefore suggest ‘magnanimous’ or as in an abbreviation of a Greek name such as ‘Teodoro’ as Teodoto.
Very little about Saint Jude has come down to us. John alone mentions a question that he addressed to Jesus at the Last Supper:
Thaddeus asks Jesus: “Lord how is it that You will reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?” See: John 14:22
This is a very timely question that we also address to the Lord: Why did not the Risen One reveal Himself to His enemies in His full glory in order to show that it is God who his victorious? Why did He only manifest Himself to His disciples?
Jesus’ answer is mysterious and profound. The Lord says: “Those who love Me will keep My word and My Father will love them and We will come to them and make Our home with them.” See: John 14:23
This means that the Risen One, must be seen, must be perceived also by the heart, in a way so that God may take up his abode within us. The Lord does not appear as a thing. He desires to enter our lives and therefore his manifestation is a manifestation that implies and presupposes an open heart. Only in this way do we see the Risen One.
Rest here from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on St. Simon and St. Jude
Related: St. Simon the Apostle –EWTN
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