FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDAS APOSTLES - Gospel (Lk 6:12-19) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“He called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles.” (Lk 6:13)

FIRST READING - Eph 2:19-22

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians

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.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 6:12-16

From the Gospel according to Luke

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.

FEAST OF SAINTS SIMON AND JUDAS APOSTLES - Gospel (Lk 6:12-19)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today's Gospel recounts Jesus staying up all night to pray to God the Father before choosing the twelve apostles.

Today's Word of God calls on everyone, especially His disciples, to follow the example of Jesus when doing anything, we need to pray, and we need to have a close union with God so that His spirit, which is the Holy Spirit will teach, enlighten, and guide us on what to do.

Because if we don't pray, don't have a close union with God, and don't have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we will not be able to do according to what God instructs us.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to earth to become a human being. Even though He knows everything, He does not do anything on His own, instead, He is always closely united with God the Father to listen and do exactly as God the Father commands.

Through that, He also calls His disciples that when following God, they must absolutely follow His will, do exactly what He has taught, and must not do according to their own will, because He knows that humans are still arrogant and imperfect.

Today, the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Simon and Jude the Apostles.

God calls His apostles to follow the example of Jesus Christ, to always live in close union with God the Father in every moment, and to never leave Him; because if humans do not have God to reign, to give grace, to support and help, we cannot do the works that God has given us, do not have enough strength to fight the power of Satan, unable to help the sicks and sinners.

Therefore, today's Word of God emphasizes that if we want to become a disciple of Jesus, we must always live in close union with God the Father and do exactly what He teaches, then we are capable of helping humankind escape from Satan's captivity; because Satan is very cunning, therefore it is not easy to defeat him.

In the past, the Son of God came to earth to become a human being, and died to redeem all mankind; today, through Jesus' choosing to call the apostles, He calls on those who want to be His disciples, to also know how to follow His example of a life of sacrifice, renunciation, self-denial and walk on the path of the cross.

Whoever has the courage to carry the cross with God, whoever has the courage to sacrifice and die with Him, is worthy of being His disciple, and is worthy of enjoying happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, today's Word of God calls on all His apostles and on those who want to follow the path of Jesus Christ to become one with Him, to conform to His likeness, and to live according to the path that He has gone through, that is to give up all things of the world, to carry the cross with Him to Calvary and to die with Him to glorify God and save sinful souls for Him; that is the purpose for which God calls the apostles and those who want to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

Thanks be to God. Amen.