Homily: October 28, 2024, Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles (Sacred Temple)

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"Through him, the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord."

In this letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul described the community of believers like a physical sacred temple, thus the people are the church. The structure of the church, which refers to the faith of the believers, are held together by Christ, and grows in holiness with the Lord. Christ is the cornerstone, the apostles are the foundation and we, the believers, are the different parts of the temple.

We look to the time of the apostles as the "golden age" of the Church — a period when it was growing fast and flourishing. But even then, the Church faced external persecutions and internal divisions arising from cultural, social, historical and personal differences. Today’s church is not much better, if not worse.

In the first 300 years, there was only one Church. Then the first division separated into the Catholic and the Orthodox Christianity. Then came the Reformation which birthed Protestantism. Now, there are over 45,000 denominations and non-denominational churches worldwide.

How did the apostles, who were so different in character, manage to keep the Church united for 300 years?

They had one focus, and no personal motives or agendas. Their only mission was to proclaim the Good News to the world as Christ sent them.

They did not water down their message, spreading Christ’s teachings as received, without fear of rejection, they were not out to seek personal gain or to be a popular religion.

They were held together through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor were given to God, no one held on to his difference, but everyone embraced what was common, their faith in Jesus Christ.

That ironed out the differences and kept the unity.

Let us pray for another apostolic time in our Church, that clergy and laity alike may follow Christ truly and proclaim the gospel truthfully, free from personal agendas and preferences.

St. Simon and St. Jude, pray for us.

Amen.


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