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Homily of the Day

Title:	Shake the Hand that Shook the Hand...
Date:	Thursday, October 28, 2004

Ephesians 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12-16

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, if you were an Irishman in America and you greeted a fellow Irishman on the street, it was common to shake hands with a familiar greeting: "Shake the hand that shook the hand of John L. Sullivan." John L. Sullivan was an Irish American boxer who had much success in the ring and was the "pride" of the Irish community. People would find comfort and familiarity in associating each other with the "handshake succession."

Today's Gospel reminds us that we have an even greater succession. It's apostolic, and because of it we are able to shake the hand that shook the hand (that shook the hand...) of Jesus. In the calling of the Apostles, Jesus sets into motion an unbreakable chain that connects us to Him. In this way we are able to take part in the many things that He instituted, as He instituted them from His own hands: the sacraments, healing, teachings, the Eucharist.

Our pope, cardinals, bishops and priests are simply men, like the Apostles, yet they represent and realistically impart a token of life with our Savior. This chain of timelessness extends a physical connection between us and Christ. We are never so far away from Him that we cannot shake the hand that shook the hand that gave us the Rock (the Church), that sent the Advocate, and that feeds us from the Heavenly Banquet.

So, if you think about it today, pray for the men who are part of this succession, may they remain faithful to the chain that was set into motion 2000 years ago.

The Word Among Us

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Meditation
Ephesians 2: 19-22

Sts. Simon and Jude

You are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. (Ephesians 2:19) Here is an amazing mystery! Consider the holy men and women whom we call the saints, and then think of the fact that we are no less valuable to God. Together with these saints, we are full members of God’s household. This is a fitting theme to reflect on today as we celebrate two saints—Simon and Jude—who might be considered champions of the common man.

We don’t know much about these two men, whose names are often listed side by side (Luke 6:15-16; Acts 1:13). Simon is called the Zealot, and in older traditions, he was sometimes given the humble title of Simon the Lesser, to distinguish him from Simon Peter. Jude is venerated as the patron saint of lost causes. This may stem from the fact that people were hesitant to ask for help from someone with a name so similar to that of Judas Iscariot and did so only as a last resort.

What are we to make of these two unknown saints? Luke tells us that Jesus spent “all night . . . in prayer to God” (Luke 6:12) before he chose them as apostles. Just as Jesus hand-picked Simon and Jude for a specific purpose, so has he hand-picked us. He was just as careful and prayerful in calling us as he was in choosing Simon, Jude, Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila, and all the great saints. We are, after all, fellow citizens with all of them, both those recognized by the church and the millions of “anonymous” saints whose love for the Lord is known only to him.

God loves us as much as he loves any of his saints. He doesn’t call everyone to become an apostle or bishop or abbot, but he does call everyone to become “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). We can all ask the Spirit to fill us and use us as powerfully as he did the first apostles. Abide in God and you will discover that your effectiveness in ministering to your family, your friends, and your parish will grow and bear marvelous fruit.

“Lord, bless all those you have called. May they see the dignity they have in your eyes. Open their hearts to the treasure you have prepared for them.”