Today, the Church honors Saints Simon and Jude, Simon was called “the Zealot.”Simon is not Simon Peter, the Prince of the Apostles,

but rather “Simon the Cananean” and “Simon the Zealot”. As a zealot,

Simon would have been very committed to his Jewish identity and would have been firmly opposed to Roman oppression and taxation.

Jude is referred to as “Judas, not the Iscariot…”

Jude was the patron saint of hopeless cases. He was a brother of St. James the Lesser, and a relative of Jesus.

During the Last Supper, asked Jesus, “Master, what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?”

Saint Jude the Apostle which he warns all Christians against immorality and heresy trying to enter the early Church.

They bore the sacred responsibility of transmitting the Sacraments and the teachings of Jesus to a nascent Church.

Simon is traditionally believed to have been sawed in half, Jude have been beaten with a club. 

 

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Ephesians 2:19-22

Now, you are no longer strangers or guests,

We are tempted to think that having large amounts of money and possessions stored up will make us secure.
Every act of love adds to our heavenly capital.

Had the rich man seen his abundant harvest as grace and gift, he would have had the largeness of heart to share it with others.

What he needed was not larger barns, but a larger heart.

 

St. John of Capistrano, priest

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Romans 4:20-25

He did not doubt,

We are living in a kind of world that was unimaginable a few decades ago,

thanks to the radical and lightning-fast developments in science and technology.

when it comes to discerning matters of the spirit,

we live in denial of the existence of God or live as if our earthly life would go on forever,

failing to store up treasures in heaven. Jesus calls for better discernment today.

 

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Romans 7:18-25a

I know

 “Render to Caesar, what is his and to God what is God’s."

We are citizens of two worlds – heaven and earth.

As citizens of this world we must fulfill our just duties and obligations.

As citizens of heaven we are equally obliged to give what is due to God!

 

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Isaiah 45:1, 4-6

Thus says Yahweh to his anointed,

Today we hear a Gospel that may strike us as quite disturbing.

Jesus says that he did not come to bring peace but division!

Christ is the Prince of Peace! He came to reconcile us to the Father

But the peace of Christ is founded on the acceptance of Jesus and his teachings.

the believer cannot allow human affiliations,

even family relationships,to take precedence over relationship with Christ and the Gospel.

 

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Romans 6:19-23

You see that

 

Any sin conceivable can be forgiven, except the sin against the Holy Spirit, which is declared “unforgivable.”

This statement of Jesus is so significant that all three synoptic gospels mention it.

It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that one can call out “Abba, Father.” 

 

Blessed Virgin Mary

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Romans 4:13, 16-18

If God promised Abraham,

 

 
The Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.

But Jesus has never left us either!

“Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of time”.

We must strengthen our faith. Always remember to put God at the center of what we all do.

The Church being the spouse of Christ must live up to Christ’s standard.

This applies not only in the affective realm but in every area of intervention;

and this applies not only to the clergy, but every Christian. For, each of us has received grace upon grace.

 

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 Romans 6:12-18

Do not allow sin

 Jesus told the most painful wound He has was the wound of people doubting His mercy,

of people thinking that their sins are unforgivable and beyond the cleansing power of His blood.

The last temptation of Satan is what the Gospel today calls the “yeast of hypocrisy” or the sin of pride with,

Satan telling the sinner that he or she does not need to be forgiven.

Jesus loves us all from , from a pierced heart flowed blood and water that cleans sinners.

 

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1st Reading: Romans 4:1-8

Let us consider Abraham,

Those who did not receive Jesus as the Messiah,

They have not readied themselves for such an event.

“Have we welcomed Christ as God’s Sin-bearer and our Savior?

Have we received His free gift of salvation?

we want to be dressed and ready for His second coming.

 

St. Anthony Mary Claret, bishop

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Romans 5:12, 15b, 17-19, 20b-21

Therefore, sin entered the world

These days we have been listening to some pretty strong words from Jesus directed specifically at the Pharisees and the teachers of the law.

Jesus knew what was in their hearts.

As leaders of the people, they had greater responsibility to live according to God’s heart

and be an inspiration for the people, but they chose otherwise.

In the sacred chamber of their souls, they should have recognized the truth of Jesus’ words and repented;

instead, they hardened their hearts, refusing to accept their guilt and deciding to eliminate Jesus.

 

St. Paul of the Cross, priest

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Romans 3:21-30

But, now it has been revealed