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Gospel Reading for October 28, 2026 – Luke 6: 12-16
INSTRUMENTS
Jesus went up to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
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We celebrate today the Feast of the Apostles Simon and Jude, two of the twelve chosen by Jesus to be with him throughout his three-year ministry.
Jesus spent the night in prayer to God before calling his disciples. He did not ask them for their résumés to make sure they were qualified for such an important role. He simply called them to him.
There is a saying, “Jesus does not call the qualified; rather, he qualifies the called.” This is something every Christian should remember: None of us, none of us, is qualified to be called. But when he calls us, the Holy Spirit works within us so that we may be able to fulfill the mission to which we are sent.
None of us should boast about being called. It is not a matter of prestige. It is a privilege for which we must always be grateful. The more we recognize that we are simply blessed with this privilege, the more effective we will be in fulfilling our mission. This is because the mission is God’s, and we are just INSTRUMENTS in his mission.
When we are full of ourselves, there will be no room for the Holy Spirit in us. This is probably why many good preachers and healers have been unable to sustain their gifts for long.
Lord Jesus, teach us to pray not only for gifts to serve you, but also for the humility and perseverance to use those gifts faithfully.
Sts. Simon and Jude, pray for us! Amen.
