Luke 6: 12-16
Now during those days Jesus went out to the mountain to pray; and he spent the night in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, and James, and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Pray, Discern, Serve
Before choosing the Twelve Apostles, Jesus spent the night in prayer. This detail is significant: before making an important decision, Jesus listened to the Father. The Apostles were not chosen because they were perfect or because they had extraordinary qualifications. They were ordinary people whom Jesus called to share in his mission.
The feast of Sts. Simon and Jude reminds us that God continues to call ordinary people to extraordinary service. In the Ignatian tradition, discernment begins with prayer and attentiveness to where God is leading us. We do not always know the whole path ahead, but we can ask for the grace to recognize the next faithful step.
Our world often encourages us to make decisions based on success, recognition, or personal advantage. Jesus offers another way: pray, discern, and serve.
Today, take a moment to ask: What is God inviting me to do, and have I taken enough time to listen before responding?
—Fr. Taroh Amédé, SJ, originally from Chad, is a member of the West Africa Province, and currently serves as development officer for American Jesuits International.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach me to pray before I act, to listen before I speak, and to discern before I decide. Like Sts. Simon and Jude, give me the courage to answer your call and the generosity to serve wherever you send me. May my life contribute to your mission and your greater glory. Amen.
—Fr. Taroh Amédé, SJ