The early Church started celebrating the feasts of the Apostles by commemorating one apostle for each month of the year. Thus, the memory of the Twelve Apostles and their preaching of Jesus' Gospel was kept alive throughout the whole year.

This was a most fitting arrangement, especially when we recall the words of Jesus at the Last Supper (cf. Jn 17:20) when Jesus indirectly and implicitly affirmed the importance of the connection of the Church throughout the ages with the Apostles. Only an "Apostolic Church can be truly faithful to Jesus' intention.

Saints Simon (the Zealot) and Jude Thaddeus were directly called to be disciples and part of the twelve by Jesus himself. Simon and Jude responded generously to Jesus' invitation to join him in his holy and healing work.

The two words that strike us in today's readings are "cornerstone" and "community". The Letter to the Ephesians refers to Jesus as the cornerstone (cf. Eph 2:20) of the arch made up of the disciples of Jesus. Architecturally, the cornerstone is the topmost piece of the arch that keeps the whole structure together. Spiritually, Jesus is that piece of the arch; we look to him to be the source of our oneness with and in Jesus.

It is Jesus who keeps the community of disciples firmly together. As Christians, we are members of the household of God firmly founded on those called into disciple-service with Jesus.