Project BLACK MAMBA: The Long Road Back, Interlude

'Tis the Feast of Saints Simon & Jude, Apostles (floruit first century; the Zealot, the Cananean; A.K.A. Thaddeus): Apostles-link, Apostle-link Sierra & Wikipedia-link Sierra, & Apostle-link Juliett & Wikipedia-link Juliett.

Commentary: Wayback Machine. Quoth the Holy Redeemer bulletin:

As in the case of all the apostles except for Peter [22 February, 29 June], James [25 July], & John [27 December], we are faced with men who are really unknown, & we are struck by the fact that their holiness is simply taken to be a gift of Christ. He chose some unlikely people: a former Zealot, a former (crooked) tax collector, an impetuous fisherman, two "sons of thunder," & a man named Judas Iscariot.

It is a reminder that we cannot receive too often. Holiness does not depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort, or achievement. It is entirely God's creation & gift. God needs no Zealots to bring about the kingdom by force. Jude, like all the saints, is the saint of the impossible: Only God can create His divine life in human beings. And God wills to do so, for all of us.

Quoth the Holy Family bulletin:

The name of St. Simon usually appears eleventh in the list of the apostles. Nothing is known of him except that he was born at Cana & is surnamed "the Zealot."

St. Jude, also called Thaddeus, was the apostle who asked the Lord at the Last Supper why he had manifested himself only to his disciples & not to the whole world (John, 14:22).

'Tis also the festival of Saint Abdias of Babylon, Bishop (floruit first century, also spelt Obadiah): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

'Tis also the festival of Saint Godwin of Stavelot, Abbot, O.S.B. (died circa 690): Saint-link & Wikipedia-link.

Scripture of This Day
Mass Readings—Feast of Ss. Simon & Jude
The Letter to the Ephesians, chapter two, verses nineteen thru twenty-two;
Psalm Nineteen, verses two & three & four & five;
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter six, verses twelve thru sixteen.

Commentary: Reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):

Friends, today's Gospel recounts Jesus selecting and appointing the Apostles. Bible scholar and theologian N.T. Wright has explained why Jesus commissioned twelve disciples as Apostles.

Wright tells us that when a first-century Jew spoke of the arrival of God's kingdom, he was taken to mean something very specific. He was announcing that the Temple was going to be restored, that the proper worship of Yahweh would be obtained, that the enemies of Israel would be dealt with and that, above all, the tribes of the Lord would be gathered and, through them, the tribes of the world.

Recall the great vision from the second chapter of Isaiah: "The mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest mountain.… All nations shall stream toward it." This is why Jesus chose twelve disciples, evocative of the twelve tribes. They would be the prototype and the catalyst for the gathering of Israel and hence the gathering of everyone. They would be the fundamental community and sign of unity.

Video reflection by Jacob Williamson: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Bible Study—Proverbs in a Month
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-six (verses one thru twenty-eight);
The Book of Proverbs, chapter twenty-seven (verses one thru twenty-seven).

Commentary: V: Second Collection of the Proverbs of Solomon (cont'd, 26:1-27:27).