The Name Game!

THE WORD AND THE SAINTS

October 28, 2021: Remembering the Apostles Simon and Jude
Ephesians 2: 19-22; Luke 6: 12-16

We remember the apostles Simon the zealot and Jude son of James also called Jude Thadeus. These apostles have become relatively less known, they say, because of the confusion with their names. Simon was confused with Simon Peter and so lost his prominence. Judas was confused with Judas Iscariot and so became infamous. Curious, isn't it?

Reflecting on this curious fact from tradition, we can be inpsired by the wonderful piece of the opening prayer prescribed for the Eucharist today, which begins thus:

"O God, who by the blessed Apostles have brought us to acknowledge your name..."

The apostles were all about acknowledging God's name, not their own. Be it the instance where Peter and John at the Temple when people were looking at them astoundedly, or Paul and Barnabas trying to stop the people offering sacrifices to them, we see it very clear that the Apostles desisted limelight on themselves and always glorified the name of the Lord, the Lord who had called them and empowered them. Exactly so, Simon or Jude or any other apostle, they were all out to spread the Good News and give glory to God, building up the Body of Christ on earth: the People of God. 

Building, is our work but we are very much part of the building itself. We are all building ourselves up together to give glory to the name of the Lord. Let's beware of the name game that is going rampant these days: divided among ourselves under so many names and calling names at each other, maligning each others' names and playing the dirty worldly name game among us - as believers from varied churches or denominations, as members within the One Catholic Church divided on varied bases! That is not very becoming of that One Name we have on earth by which we will be saved, the most sweet and glorious name of Jesus. The division in the Church is the greatest of all scandals against the Gospel. With that one Cornerstone, let us unite and give glory to God's mighty name!