| Theology of the Heart- Life of the Saints- St. Jude Thaddeus |
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Apostle
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Feast: October 28
Saint Jude is named in Matthew 10:3 and Mark 3:18 as one of the Twelve Apostles. We do not know when or how he became a part of the Twelve. In the Gospel of John 14:22 the distinction is made very clear that this is not Judas Iscariot. “Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot)…” This distinction is very important because it is Judas Iscariot that betrayed Jesus not St. Jude Thaddeus.
It is Saint Jude after the Last Supper that asked Christ why he would not manifest himself to everyone after the Resurrection. “… ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’” (John 14:22-23)
St. Jude is attributed to having written one of the Canonical Epistles. It is not directed to any specific person or church. It exhorts Christians to “fight valiantly for the faith that has been delivered to the saints. Because some in the secret of his heart are…ungodly men, turning the grace of our Lord God on the occasion of quarrel, and denying the only Lord regulator, our Lord Jesus Christ.” He ends his letter with this beautiful prayer: “Be eternal glory to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is able to keep us free from sin, and no stain on the soul and with great joy.”
St. Jude is one of the more popular saints because of the many favors that have been received through his intercession.
We don’t know anything about the life of St. Jude after the Ascension and the Decent of the Holy Spirit. There are various legends surrounding his life, but they are not reliable.
Prayer: “Grant Lord, through your holy apostle St. Jude, the grace to dedicate our lives, our qualities and our efforts to make you know and love and at the end of our lives, achieve, like him, a place with Thee in the sky.”
Source: Catholic Online
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