Ephesians 2:19-22 / Luke 6:12-19 (2013)
Not much is known about the two saints whose feast we celebrate today.
Simon was called the Zealot probably because of his zeal for the Jewish independence before he was called by Jesus.
Jude or Thaddeus is the author of the letter in the New Testament in which he warned Christian converts against false teaching and immorality.
He is also venerated as the patron of "impossible cases"
Traditional sources had it that both of them were together in their missionary work in Persia and there they were martyred.
Both of them also tell us something about the people Jesus chose to be His disciples.
Both of them, as well as the rest of the apostles, were insignificant people from insignificant backgrounds.
But both of them had a purpose in God's plan of salvation.
Both of them became zealous for Christ and for the Kingdom and they also became channels of God's grace for those who were seeking God's love and forgiveness, or when they seek God's help when their problems in life seemed hopeless or impossible even.
We may think that we are insignificant persons and hence we think we have no purpose in God's plan of salvation.
But let us ask for the prayers of St. Simon and St. Jude that we will discover our purpose in life and also our purpose in God's plan of salvation.
We may be insignificant but it does not mean that we are impossible. Because with God, everything and everyone is possible.