“Now to him who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen”

This Act of Praise is the last two verses of the Letter of Jude which is found in the New Testament just before the Revelation to John. Jude’s full name was Judas but in order to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus, Jude was sometimes called Thaddaeus. In about AD 65 the Apostle Jude wrote his letter to warn the church to be on guard against false teachings. Later he and another Apostle, Simon the Zealot, are said to have gone to Persia to share the Good News. They died there as martyrs.

The name of Jude may be familiar because he has become the Saint associated with lost causes. No matter how desperate your situation may be, you can ask Jude to assist you in bringing your prayers to the Lord of heaven and earth from whom comes our help and our salvation. Today we commemorate these two Apostles, Saint Simon and Saint Jude.

Bible Reading: the Letter of Jude