St Simon and St Jude

We know very little about St Simon and St Jude - though, as a former Zealot (Zealots were heavily politicised Jewish revolutionaries), Simon was clearly a convert from the "political action will lead to a social utopia" view of religion to the "God's incarnate Son will elevate us into communion with the Trinity" view, and is, accordingly, a patron saint of those who recognise that turning Christianity into political utopianism (of the left or of the right) is a Bad Idea.

Although Simon and Jude don't play a major role in the gospels or in Acts, one might assume that they interpreted their apostolic mission something like this:

If Christ thought it necessary to send out his intimate disciples in this fashion, just as the Father had sent him, then surely it was necessary that they whose mission was to be patterned on that of Jesus should see exactly why the Father had sent the Son.

And so Christ interpreted the character of his mission to us in a variety of ways.

Once he said: I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.

And then at another time he said: I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.

For God sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Accordingly, in affirming that they are sent by him just as he was sent by the Father, Christ sums up in a few words the approach they themselves should take to their ministry:

From what he said they would gather that it was their vocation to call sinners to repentance;

to heal those who were sick whether in body or spirit;

to seek in all their dealings never to do their own will but the will of him who sent them;

and as far as possible to save the world by their teaching.

St Cyril of Alexandria: Commentary on St John's Gospel, 12,1 @ Crossroads Initiative.