The Holy Apostle Jude, Brother of the Lord According to the Flesh
Jude 1:1-10; John 14:21-24
Polyeleos Feast. Apostles’ Fast.
Read John 14:21-24
I’m sure you’ve already heard the old joke. Why did Peter deny Christ? Because he healed Peter’s mother-in-law!
Burying your Father was of such importance within the Jewish context of Christ’s time that it took precedence even over proclaiming the required morning prayer. In the gospel today, a man offers to follow Christ once he first takes care of this essential responsibility of a son- and he is turned down! This is startling, and a good reminder for us today brothers and sisters. What Our Lord is doing in the world is of utmost importance. We can never follow Christ if we set out on the journey with him AND… or with him BUT…. NT Wright, in commenting on this passage writes:
Authority and suffering are strangely concentrated in this one man, who nobody at this stage quite understood, but who everybody found compelling. Perhaps that’s the greatest challenge facing the church today: how to live the life of Jesus, how to be his followers, in such a way that people will want to follow him too.
Let us find comfort in being counted among Christ’s followers and confirmation in our vocation when we are faced with challenges for His sake!