Feast of Saints Simon and Jude at Mississippi Abbey

Scripture Readings: Eph 2:19-22; Lk 6:12-16

Today we remember two of the apostles in particular: Simon and Jude. Our gospel reminds us there were twelve of them whom Jesus named “apostles”. That means they were sent. Jesus, too, was sent and He, the Sent One, sent them. Jesus was sent with a mission: to make God known to the people of the earth. These men were sent to continue that mission and that mission is why we are here today. Each was sent to this community.

The specifics of the mission are given in the gospel of John, especially Chapters 13-17, the Farewell Discourse (or as others call it, “The Mission Discourse”). Jesus tells them and us first to “Abide in me”. Stay put, like a branch abides in a vine. But we do this for a purpose, the same purpose for which He was sent: to bear fruit. So the second point of the mission is to “go”. We are sent to show what God is like by self-giving, life-giving love. As St. Paul tells us, “We are built on the foundation of the apostles…with Christ Jesus Himself as the capstone…being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” To be sent as Jesus was sent and sends the apostles is to be in a mutual indwelling relationship with the Sender. Thus we are given the Paraclete. And thus the works we do are the works of the Sender. In short, we “abide and go.” We stay put and move out. Our mission has three interrelated dimensions: being, doing, and telling.

This would seem to pose a problem for us as contemplatives. In reality, though, there is no problem. We are first an foremost Christians, Disciples of Christ. We are commanded to “love one another as I have loved you. By this they will know you are my disciples: if you love one another.” This love is shown by abiding in His love and moving out to give it to others. To “abide & go” is the Christian DNA. Thus, through example, deed, and word we invite one another and guests to devote their entire lives to following Christ.

As contemplatives we are not to confine ourselves to merely pondering the gospel; we are to become the gospel.  Like the apostles, we are not containers; we are conduits.

                                                                                                                                   

 

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude at Mississippi Abbey

Scripture Readings: Eph 2:19-22; Lk 6:12-16

The apostles, prior to the sending of the Holy Spirit, were not the brightest bulbs in the chandelier of life. Some scholars have described them as “25 watts and dimming.”

But then, because of the Holy Spirit, they got better. Today we remember two of them: Saints Simon and Jude Thaddeus. They were apostles, but I’d say most importantly, they were martyrs. They are witnesses to the glory of Jesus which is that He makes His disciples willing to take up the cross and follow after Him. Given our natural inclination to avoid the uncomfortable, this is remarkable. When one undertakes such a daunting task one immediately discovers it is more than he or she can do. Have you noticed that? But, nothing more contradicts the central message of the gospels than confidence in one’s own power and accomplishments. The power of God works when human weakness gives it the occasion to work.

A young woman entering a monastery is a witness to this. Like myself she discovers within a few months that she is not the great lover of God she was on the day she entered. Nevertheless, having become convinced of her weakness, this witness is manifested by who she prefers as a source of power and the circumstances under which she prefers Him. She stands for something, or better, for someone. And she stands by her convictions. Convictions bridge the gap between beliefs and behavior. They get their strength from what she most cares about. Doing this in community is the way that being a Cistercian affects the sort of person she becomes. This tells others what she is and is not. She takes a stand for and before a community of people who are deliberating about what is worth doing.

This requires integrity.Integrity requires security. Security comes from a willingness to suffer; a willingness to suffer comes from a great love. Slowly she realizes that “I live now not I, but Christ lives in me.” This realization makes possible a life conformed to the self-humbling and self-giving of the crucified Christ.Before we decide to vow our life to this we must decide, with Simon & Jude, that there is a reality worth loving with this kind of extravagance.