(First Century) Simon was possibly from Cana in Galilee, and may have been a brother of James and Jude, which would make him a cousin of Jesus. He was trained by Saint Peter and evangelized in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Jude Thaddeus was a cousin of Jesus, brother of Saint James the Less, nephew of Mary and Joseph, and was the son of Cleophas and the “other” Mary who stood at the foot of the cross and anointed the body of Jesus. He wrote the epistle of Jude, a 25-verse condemnation of the ungodly following their passions. He is the patron of lost or impossible causes because of being confused with Judas Iscariot. Different traditions place Simon’s martyrdom in different locations and according to different causes of death. He may have been martyred with Jude, who was beaten to death with a club, then beheaded post-mortem in first-century Persia.
The Apostles were commissioned, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Do we actively share the message of Jesus and the message of recovery?
“On those who waver, have mercy; save others by snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 1:22-23).
Reflection by Brad Farmer