The 13th Apostle

Peter and John and James and Andrew,
Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon theZealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The Judas mentioned here is not Judas of Iscariot, but the beloved St. Jude, patron saint for hopeless causes.  The passage is also interesting that the Apostles were not the only ones in the Upper Room waiting on the gift of the Spirit, but so was Mary, Jesus’ mother as well as some other women and Jesus’ brothers (which refers to cousins).

This image is one that St. Vincent Pallotti, born in Rome in 1795, who became the founder of the Pallottines (Priests and Brothers) and the Union of Catholic Apostolate, a lay organization that devoted themselves to being active apostles in the Church, had used to help foster the concept of Church.  Sometimes when we think of Church we often think about the Church as this building, and rightly so, the Church is found here, but it does not encompass the whole Church.  Sometimes we think of the institution or the hierarchy of the Church, again, rightly so as the magisterium is a vital component of the Church but that too does not encompass all of what it means to be Church.

We also have the people, the everyday people who are all apostles, called by name and sent, just as all of these folks who were mentioned in the Book of Acts.  It lists the names of the eleven because of their role as leaders, bishops.  But it also lists the name of Mary because she is our mother, but it also lists other women and Jesus’ brothers, they were not bishops, but they were part of the Church as will be confirmed when we celebrate Pentecost next week.

This image, this story from two thousand years ago is present right now, this is our Upper Room and Jesus is with us as well as His mother and we are his brothers and sisters, we are his disciples and apostles.  We like them have come to this upper room to devote ourselves to prayer, but also like them when we receive the Spirit to leave from these doors and go out and preach, to bring the Word of God, Jesus to others.  You are the 13^th Apostle!  Jesus has called you by name, because you have entered His Upper Room, now He sends you, so go forth Christian soul and bring the Gospel to all creatures, AMEN!