On this sacred occasion celebrating the feast of the apostles Simon and Jude, the Lord Jesus reveals to us the profound importance of having intimate companions in our lives. After he had gathered some crowd around him, he still found it necessary to pick a selected few to work closely with him. Though full of healing anointing, capable of drawing the crowd to him, Jesus did not downplay the need to work with a closely knitted individuals who he called the apostles. He needs some people who could work with him to solidly establish the kingdom of God on earth after he is done with his earthy ministry.
“Jesus went out into the hills to pray; and he spent the whole night in prayer to God. When day came, he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them ‘apostles.”
Why we need close friends.
Even with our inherent gifts and abilities, it is essential to maintain a certain level of organization to effectively manage our affairs and ensure the longevity of our endeavors. There is no pint venturing into what we cannot hand over to others.
Moreover, we should exercise caution when engaging with the public. Regardless of the extent of our popularity or interaction with the masses, certain aspects of our lives should remain private and shared only with trusted friends. These are the people who would stand for us amid thick and thin when the crowd is gone. Because they must have walked with us closely and understood exactly who we are and what we stand for.
Friends are God’s gifts.
Interestingly, Jesus took his time to select the apostles. He prayed all the night. Borrowing a leaf from the Divine Saviour, let us take caution while selecting our friends. We need to pray to God to bless us with those friends who would join us in the fulfillment of our life goals. As we people who are baptized into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, it is imperative that we show our union with him by a life of example. Let us, like Simon and Jude, be herald of the gospel.
May we never lose our prayer instinct. And may the Lord bless us with those who will join forces with us in the unfolding of our life mission. Amen.
