Christ the Cornerstone

Missionary disciples, ordinary people called to follow Jesus

“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” (Lk 6:12-16).

The publication date for this column is on Friday, Oct. 28, the feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude. To follow Jesus as the Apostles did requires courage and self-sacrifice, but it’s also a way of life that is filled with joy and satisfaction.

The call to be a disciple comes from Christ through many diverse people and situations.

Some hear the call when they are children. Others become aware of Jesus’ invitation to follow him later in life. In every case, the call is personal, an invitation from our Lord to know and love him intimately, to be a person for others, to live simply and to grow in holiness through a life of prayer and service.

All Christian vocations, including ordained ministry, religious life, marriage and the dedicated single life, require surrender and self-sacrifice. Christian discipleship means embracing a lifestyle that demands discipline, obedience and a commitment to serving all God’s people.

Being a missionary disciple is challenging in every age, but especially today. Why? Because everything in our culture argues against being a “person for others.” Instead, we are urged to look out for our own interests—first and foremost.

None of the 12 Apostles ended up being richly rewarded by earthly standards. None was wealthy or famous. Most were martyred (some brutally), and many suffered rejection and misunderstanding at the hands of the people they were trying to serve.

We know next to nothing about the details of Simon and Jude’s missionary discipleship. Jude is named by Luke and in Acts. (Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus.)

Jude, who is considered by many to be the patron saint of lost causes or desperate situations, is not mentioned elsewhere in the Gospels, except of course where all the Apostles are mentioned. There is also a New Testament letter attributed to him.

Simon is mentioned on all four lists of the Apostles, but we know little about him. Tradition holds that saints Simon and Jude traveled to Persia together, where they were both martyred. This may explain why they share the same feast day.

Christ calls ordinary people, like you and me, to be his disciples. This call does not depend on human merit, culture, personality, effort or achievement. It is entirely God’s gift—an invitation that is universal and unqualified.

All that’s necessary to be a faithful missionary disciple of Jesus Christ is the willingness to take up your cross and follow him. No special talents are required. If we surrender our egos and place an absolute trust in God’s grace and mercy, the Holy Spirit will show us the way.

Here in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, we are blessed with outstanding women and men who have dedicated their entire lives to Christ. Some are priests and deacons. Others are consecrated religious. Still others are lay people who have responded generously to the Lord’s call to take up their crosses and follow him in various ministries and apostolates.

Yes, these missionary disciples experience stress. Yes, they sometimes feel overworked and under-appreciated. Yes, they are embarrassed, hurt and angry about the scandals that have hit us all so hard in recent years.

But the missionary disciples who serve the Church in central and southern Indiana are people of courage and compassion. They are people of prayer and people of action. They are faithful to our Church and to the people they serve. They have been chosen by Christ to be his ambassadors of mercy, hope and joy.

The great majority of our priests, deacons, religious and lay leaders will tell you that when they said “yes” to the Lord’s call, they gained a whole lot more than they gave up. We owe all of them a tremendous debt of gratitude. Theirs is a way of life that is filled with opportunities for joyful surrender to God’s will. Let’s pray for them. Let’s thank them often, and let’s support them in every way we can.

As we observe the feast of Saints Simon and Jude, let’s pray especially for the pastoral leaders and faithful parishioners of St. Jude Parish in Indianapolis, St. Jude the Apostle Parish in Spencer and St. Simon the Apostle Parish in Indianapolis. May they be strengthened in their response to the call to holiness and serve one another as courageous missionary disciples in Jesus’ name. †