00:00Simon, who was called the Zealot, and Jude, that's not Judas Iscariot, but Judas Tadé, the cousin of
00:07Jesus were two of the twelve apostles.
00:09They formed a remarkable duo, often mentioned together in the history of the Church, celebrated on October 28.
00:16Before following Christ, Simon was probably a member of a Jewish nationalist group, the Zealots.
00:24Imagine a passionate man, burning with fervor for the freedom of his people.
00:29Jesus did not extinguish this fire, he redirected it.
00:33Simon's thirst for justice was no longer directed towards an earthly kingdom, but towards the kingdom of
00:39God.
00:39He became a Zealot of the Gospel, carrying the good news with total devotion.
00:46Jude, on the other hand, was a more discreet man, but just as essential.
00:51We owe to him one of the letters of the New Testament,
00:54a powerful exhortation to remain faithful to the faith in the face of heresies.
01:00He is best known as the patron saint of hopeless causes, a title that resonates with a wild hope.
01:07Why this association?
01:09Perhaps because his letter emphasizes perseverance and trust in God, even when all seems lost.
01:17His name was long confused with that of the traitor, which may have caused him to be forgotten.
01:23and therefore the saint to turn to when one feels oneself forgotten by luck.
01:29After Pentecost, these two intrepid apostles did not remain idle.
01:34Tradition tells us that they traveled together, carrying the light of Christ far beyond known borders.
01:41as far as Persia.
01:43There, they faced immense challenges, from pagan magicians to hostile authorities,
01:49never hesitating to bear witness to their faith, even in the face of death.
01:54It was in Persia, at Sarmach, that they are said to have sealed their testimony through martyrdom.
01:59united in their mission until the end.
02:02Simon is often depicted with a saw, suggesting that he was sawn in two.
02:08Jude, on the other hand, with a club or an axe, a sign of a fatal blow.
02:14These instruments are not objects of horror,
02:17but the symbols of their total dedication and unwavering courage.
02:22Today, we remember Simon and Jude as having a bold and persevering faith.
02:28Simon reminds us that our energy and passions can always be sanctified.
02:34and placed at the service of God.
02:36Jude offers us a refuge of hope when the paths seem to end,
02:41reminding us that for God, no cause is ever truly lost.
02:46He calls us to be courageous witnesses.
02:49to embrace our own mission with the same fervor,
02:53and never despair.
