COUSIN OF JESUS CHRIST

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary will be ever new and strong simply because she is the Mother of God. Nor will piety toward St. Joseph ever lessen, because he is the foster-father of Jesus. Devotion to St. Jude Thaddeus, once it is known, should appeal to all for a similar reason: he also is closely associated with our Blessed Lord by blood relationship.

This singular privilege came to him through Saints Joachim and Ann, the parents of the Blessed Virgin. Being a grand-nephew of these two saints he is at once a nephew of Mary and Joseph which, of course, places him in the relationship of cousin to Our Lord Himself . Nearness to Christ is always a valuable and indispensable asset to a saint, but when it is the nearness of family relationship to the Savior of mankind, then is one sharply moved to endear himself to that saint.

APOSTLE AND SACRED WRITER

St. Jude Thaddeus was the son of Cleophas and Mary of Cleophas. His mother brought him up in piety and innocence, both of which were fostered and increased by the example of Christ. This example was before him even in his boyhood days, for, as cousin of the Savior, he must have frequently associated to Him.

What the life of St. Jude Thaddeus was up to the time of the call to the apostleship is not known, but this much is certain that when the divine invitation was extended to him he not only accepted it, but never for a moment did he allow his zeal as an apostle to cool. It was zeal and zeal alone which eventually brought to him the much coverted reward of martyrdom. He was not only an apostle but also one of the sacred writers. His work is known as "The Epistle of St. Jude." Although only a very brief work of twenty-five verses, the shortest writing of the New Testamant.

The Epistle of St. Jude is remarkable for its strength and dignity. Most if its contents is well adapted to the present time, for the heresies and immoralities of those days are rampant today. It was against these things that St. Jude Thaddeus wrote. He closes his Epistle with admonitions for the Christians. It seems also that he was one of the last apostles to die. He implies this when he says; "Be mindful of the words which have been spoken before the Apostles."

HIS NAME

Proper names, in the early history of mankind, were used not only to designate a certain person but were often expressive of traits peculiar to that person.

The several names ascribed to St. Jude Thaddeus explain the success that attended his apostolate. St. Matthew and Mark called him Thaddeus. St. Luke in the Gospel and in the Acts of the Apostles calls him Jude, the brother of James, which name St. Jude Thaddeus calls himself in the Epistle. The name Jude conveys the idea of praise and Thaddeus according to St. Jerome, means a man of more ordinary knowledge of the things of God. It also means sweetness and gentleness of character.

A man endowed with these characteristics may truthfully call himself the "Servant of Jesus Christ." With praise of God on his lips and knowledge of Him in his heart, with gentleness of character, what an apostle he must have made!

HIS MIRACLES

St. Jude Thaddeus is generally shown with an image of Our Lord upon his breast. The tradition is that when the fame of Christ's miracles had reached the king of Edessa (in which country St. Jude Thaddeus preached and established the Crurch), the king who was afflicted with leprosy sent a messenger to Our Lord begging him to come and heal him. When the unfortunate king learned that he could not expect Christ to come to him, he sent an artist to Jerusalem that he might atleast get a portrait of the Master. On seeing Christ the poor artist was so blinded by the divine brightness of His face that he was unable to draw even a line. Jesus moved with compassion and wishing to console the afflicted king, held a cloth to His face leaving thereon His own image. He then gave it to the poor artist telling him to carry it back to his ruler, at the same time promising to send some one to cure him.

St. Jude Thaddeus was sent by Christ to perform the miracle. When St. Jude Thaddeus arrived he was immediately recognized. His first words of greeting to the king were "Thou hast faith in the Lord Jesus; therefore, He sent me." St. Jude Thaddeus then laid hand upon the king and the leprosy vanished immediately and completely. It is related that so great were the miracles St. Jude Thaddeus wronght that not only the king and his court but well nigh the entire kingdom of Edessa were converted to the cause of Christ. This is the traditional explanation of the minature of Christ on the breast of St. Jude Thaddeus. The details of St. Jude's life after the dispersal of the apostles from Jerusalem are matters solely of tradition and there is no intent to present them otherwise.

DEFENDER OF FAITH

His labors in Persia give some idea of the difficulties which were so often encountered in his ministry. This country was overrun with magicians who employed their arts to deceive the simple and foster pagan superstition. It was necessary that these impostors be exposed once and for all. St. Jude Thaddeus always found traces of two special agents of Satan who went before him trying to poison the minds of the poeple against him and therefore forestall the efficacy of his work. Their names were Zaroes and Arfaxat, skilled magicians, who by their trickery sought to dupt the ignorant into a belief in the power of pagan idols to hear and grant request. The oppurtunity presented to make a complete exposure of the work of these magicians. God gave a special power to St. Jude Thaddeus. In his presence and at his command the idols were forced to speak and to confess the One True God. Then the demons inhabiting the idols were ordered to leave and in so doing the idols fell to the ground and were broken into fragments amid a howl of infernal rage. But it was the magicians the Saint was anxious to meet face to face that he might bring them to the justice of God. On being informed that they were in the camp of the Persian army, St. Jude Thaddeus lost no time in gaining entrance to the camp. Verardach, the commander-in-chief, ordered St. Jude Thaddeus to advance and make known his mission. Fearless he cried out: "We serve Jesus Christ, and have come to bring you eternal life if you abandoned your errors and your worship of the gods." It was a bold assertion to make in the camp of an enemy, but the commander was interested, owing to the fact that he had already heard of the fall of the pagan idols at the Saint's command. The commander promised to hear more of the mission of the Saint once the impending battle was over. Anxious to know the outcome of the battle and thinking that perhaps the Saint might enlighten him, he lost no time in approaching St. Jude Thaddeus on the subject. The Saint commanded the idols to make reply to the question. The answer came back that the war would be long and tedious with great losses in both sides. At this answer the commander was very much disturbed. Then the apostle with great joy exclaimed: "Fear not, Oh Prince, thy gods lie! Tommorow at this very hour ambassadors will arrive from the enemy's camp asking terms of peace; they will accept all the conditions you propose and will become your subjects." So completely was his promise fulfilled that it was only the intercession of St. Jude Thaddeus that kept the two wicked magicians from being burned at the stake.

HIS MARTYRDOM

Throughout his entire ministry, St. Jude Thaddeus was subject to all sorts of persecution and suffering. Our Lord predicted this very thing concerning His apostles. Notwithstanding his great success it must be remembered that he at all times had to deal with a hard people, a people steeped in immorality. They were loath to surrender evil habits sanctioned by a custom of long standing. But the acceptance of Christianity meant new customs opposed to old customs, hence the doctrine of the All-pure Christ was offensive to their pagan ears.

It was this very thing that was to bring about his martyrdom, and those unwilling to embrace the new doctrine waited impatiently for the day when vengeance could be meted out to him. The eventful day came, a day of victory for the enemies, but a day of great joy for St. Jude Thaddeus, now that the coverted prize was within reach.

It is a custom of the Church to represents her martyrs in the art with the instrument of crown of eternal glory. So we have St. Jude Thaddeus represented with a club in his hand, for it was with this weapon that he was put to death. Tradition tells that after death his head was severed from his body with a broad-ax. The church assures her children that his pure soul winged its way heavenward immediately after is martyrdom and that his name was written in letters of gold in the Book of Life.