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CHRISTIAN APOSTLE JUDE THADDEUS
Oh, that we could be as sure of life as we are of
death!
Saint Jude Thaddeus was closely associated with our Lord
by blood relationship through Saints Joachim and Anne, the
parents of the Blessed Virgin. A grand-nephew of these two
saints, he is at once a nephew of Mary and Joseph, which
places him in the relationship of cousin of our Lord.
Jude is the brother of the Apostle James the Less. He had
two other brothers, whom the Gospel calls “brethren” of
Jesus. When our Lord came back from Judea to Nazareth, he
began to teach in the synagogue.
The word “brethren” or “brothers” in the Hebrew language
usually suggests a near relationship. Jude’s father was
Clopas. His mother’s name was Mary. She was a near relative
of the Blessed Virgin. She stood beneath the Cross when
Jesus died.
In his boyhood and youth Jude must have associated with
Jesus. At the beginning of the public life of Jesus, Jude
left all to follow the Master. As an Apostle, he labored
with great zeal for the conversion of Gentiles. For ten
years he worked as a missionaries in the whole of
Mesopotamia. He returned to Jerusalem for the Council of the
Apostles. Later he joined Simon in Libya, where the two
Apostles preached the Gospel to the barbarian inhabitants.
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Tradition says that he and Simon suffered martyrdom at
Suanis, a city or Persia, where they had labored as
missionaries.. Jude was beaten to death with a club; hence
he is represented with a club in his hand. His head was then
severed from his body with an ax. His body was brought to
Rome and his relics are now venerated in Saint Peter’s
Basilica.
Saint Jude is known mainly as the author of the New
Testament Epistle of Jude. This letter was probably written
before the fall of Jerusalem, between the years of 62 and
65. In his letter Jude denounces the heresies of that early
time and warns the Christians against the seduction of false
teaching. He speaks of the judgment to come upon the
heretics who are living evil lives and condemns the
worldly-minded, the lustful, and ‘those who cultivate people
for the sake of gain.” He encourages Christians to remain
steadfast in the faith and foretells that false teachers,
leading wicked lives and ridiculing religion, will arise,
but that they will be punished.
To the pride of the wicked he opposes the humble loyalty of
the Archangel Michael. He encourages the Christians to build
a spiritual edifice by living lives founded upon faith, love
of God, hope, and prayer. He encourages the practice of love
of neighbor; he urges Christians to endeavor to convert the
heretics by the virtues of their lives.
St. Jude concluded the letter with a prayer praising God for
the Incarnation, by means of which the eternal Word of God,
Jesus Christ, took upon Himself our human nature and
redeemed mankind.
Symbol - Sailing Ship
St. Jude's Day is October 28. His symbol is the
ship he sailed in for his missionary work.
Jesus is our Keeper, our Preserver,
the Lord Who Came Down with 10,000 Saints
to keep us against the False Teachers.
Jude 1:19
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