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Life of St. Jude Thaddeus


"THE FORGOTTEN SAINT;" this is a title that is sometimes given to our saint. It is hard to conceive how any saint of God could really be forgotten by men, but this fact may be explained by a certain confusion of names. No doubt it was by reason of the shameful treason of another Jude, Judas Iscariot, that the name of a glorious apostle and martyr has suffered the forgetfulness of men. At all times therefore in our sketch of his life we shall refer to him not simply as St. Jude, but as Jude Thaddeus lest the name of the martyr be confounded with the name of the traitor. Today more than ever is the merit of Jude Thaddeus being revived in the minds and the hearts of men. He in return is proving himself more than an ordinary advocate taking special delight in coming to the aid of persons in desperate need. No petition seems too great for him whence he is known as the "Patron In Cases Despaired Of." Although the name Jude Thaddeus has been neglected in the devotions of men it is nevertheless one of the oldest names in the calendar of Christ's Church. It has the sanction of antiquity dating back to the call of the Twelve.

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is ever new and vigorous simply because she is what she is, the great Mother of God. Nor will piety towards St. Joseph ever wither away and die being inseparately connected with the name of Jesus as his foster-father. The name of Jude Thaddeus, once it is known, should appeal to us for a similar reason, he also being closely allied to Our Blessed Lord by a blood relationship. This singular privilege came to him through St. Anne and St. Joachim, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Being a grandnephew of these two holy souls he is at once a nephew of Joseph and Mary which of course places him in the relationship of cousin to Our Lord Himself. Proximity to Christ is always a valuable asset, yea even an indispensable one, to a saint, but when it is the nearness of actual relationship to the Saviour of mankind, it becomes a powerful incentive in making man try all the more to endear himself to that saint.

St. Jude Thaddeus owed his inception into the world to Cleophas and Mary of Cleophas, his parents. His mother, Mary of Cleophas brought him up in a youthhood of piety and innocence, both of which were fostered and augmented by the ever outstanding example of Christ. This example was vouchsafed him even in his boyhood years, for as cousin of the Saviour he must have frequently been in an intimate association with the Saviour of the world. What events made up the life of Jude Thaddeus up to the time of the call to apostleship are not known, but this much is certain, when the divine invitation was extended he not only embraced it, but never for a moment allowed his zeal to abate as an apostle. It was zeal and zeal alone which eventually brought to him the much coveted prize 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 Testament, it is remarkable for the strength and grandeur of its language. Most of its contents are wonderfully well adapted to the time in which we live, for, the heresies and immoralities of the Simonians and the Gnostics are with us even today. It was against these that St. Jude Thaddeus directed his writings. It seems also that he was one of the last of the twelve Apostles to die. He infers this when he writes "be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the Apostles."

Proper names, in the early history of mankind, were used not only to designate a certain person, but oftimes were expressive of some trait, or traits peculiar to that person. The several names ascribed to our Saint are revelant, enabling us to understand more easily the success that was his all through his apostolic labors. In the Acts of the Apostles he is called simply "Jude," in the Greek text of St. Matthew he is known as "Lebbeus," and in the Vulgate edition of the Bible we hear of him under the appellation of "Thaddeus." The name Juda (or Jude) conveys the idea of confessions or praise, whence Jude would signify a man who boldly confesses Jehovah his God and gives ready praise to the Lord. "Lebbeus," according to the explanation of St. Jerome, means a man of more than ordinary knowledge of the things of God. Both characteristics are invaluable and indispensable in one who is called upon to be an Apostle, but of what worth is dauntless zeal and consummate wisdom if there is lack of understanding of the human side of life? Where there is a scarcity of kindness and proper understanding of men the crumbs of eternal truth falling from the lips of the exponent of the Word of God must necessarily be turned from manna into a bitter herb. How well Jude Thaddeus understood all this. True to his name "Thaddeus" he seemed to have more than ordinary insight to the problems of those to whom he preached, and this was undoubtedly the secret of his success in his dealings with men . . . "Thaddeus" it must be remembered means sweetness and gentleness of character.

His labors in Persia give us some idea of the difficulties which so often confronted him in his ministry. This country, infested with magicians who employed their art to deceive, if possible, and foster pagan superstition, made it imperative that these imposters be definitely exposed once and for all times. Invariably St. Jude Thaddeus and his companion found traces of two special agents of Satan going in advance of them trying to preclude if possible the efficacy of their work. Their names were Zaroes and Arfaxat, skilled magicians employing their nefarious trickery to dupe the ignorant into a belief of the power of pagan idols to hear and grant requests. The opportunity presented itself to make a complete exposure of the work of these magicians. God gave a special power to Jude Thaddeus. In his presence the idols were forced to speak, when commanded by him, to confess the One True God. Then the demons inhabitating the idols were ordered to leave and in so doing the pagan statues fell to the ground and were dashed into a thousand pieces amid a howl of infernal rage. But it was the instigators themselves, the magicians, whom our saint was anxious to meet face to face that he might bring them to the Justice of God. On being informed that they had located themselves in the camp of the Persian army no time was lost by Jude 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 abandon 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 nevertheless, this due to the fact that he had already been informed of the above episode, 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 onslaught of the impending battle was over. Anxious to know the outcome of the ensuing battle and thinking that perhaps our saint might enlighten him he lost no time in approaching St. Jude Thaddeus on the subject. The saint first commanded the idols to make reply to the question. The answer, not too favorable, came back that the war would be long and tedious with many perishing on both sides. At this the commander was very much perplexed and worried. Then the Apostle with great joy exclaimed, "Fear not, Oh Prince! Thy gods lie! Tomorrow at this very hour ambassadors will arrive from the enemy's camp to demand peace; they will accept all the conditions you propose and will become your tributaries." So completely was the oracle fulfilled that it was only the intercession of St. Jude Thaddeus that kept the two wicked magicians from a fate of being burned alive at the stake.

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 . . . they would be reviled and oftimes rejected. Notwithstanding his great success it must be remembered that our saint at all times had to deal with a hard people, a people steeped in the dregs of immorality. They were loath to surrender impure habits sanctioned by a custom of long standing. But the acceptance of Christianity meant customs diametrically opposed to this, whence the doctrine of the All-Pure Christ was obnoxious to their pagan ears. It was this very thing that provoked and eventully brought about his martyrdom and death and those unwilling to embrace the new doctrine waited impatiently for the day when vengeance could be meted out.

The eventful day came, a day of victory for the enemies, but a day of great joy for Jude Thaddeus now that the coveted prize was within reach. It is a custom in the Church to represent her martyrs in statuary with the instrument of torture that made possible for them the crown of immortality. St. Stephen is rep- resented with stones as an emblem upon his shield signifying that he was stoned to death for Christ; the emblem of St. Peter and his brother is the cross, of St. Paul the sword, of St. Lawrence a gridiron, of St. Sebastian an arrow, etc. These were the instruments of their combat and victory. And so we have Jude Thaddeus represented with a club in his hand, not that he used it in combat, but to make known to us that it was with this that he was put to death for Christ.

Tradition tells us that after he was clubbed into insensibility his head was severed from his body with a broadax. The Church assures us that his pure soul winged its way heavenward immediately after his martyrdom and that his name was written in beaming letters of gold at the base of the throne of the Most High. St. Jude Thaddeus, the "Forgotten Saint" . . . forgotten by men perhaps, but not by God.

St. Jude Thaddeus is represented as wearing a miniature of Our Lord upon his breast. Tradition tells us that when the fame of Our Lord's miracles had reached the king of Edessa (in which country our saint preached and established a church) the king being afflicted with the terrible malady of leprosy sent a messenger to Our Lord beseeching Him to come and heal him. When the unfortunate kin was in- formed that Our Lord could not gratify his request, he sent an artist to Jerusalem that he might obtain at least a portrait of the Master. Tradition relates that on seeing Christ, the poor artist was so blinded by the divine brightness emanating from the face of Christ that he was powerless to trace even so much as a line. Our Lord, moved with compassion and wishing to console the afflicted king, held a cloth to His own face leaving thereon the image of His own countenance. He then gave it to the poor artist with the injunction to carry it back to the ruler, at the same time promising to send some one to cure him. Tradition has it that Jude Thaddeus was the one commissioned by Christ to perform the miracle. St. Jude needed no credentials. He was immediately recognized as the promised one. The first words of greeting to the king were, "Thou hast faith in the Lord Jesus, therefore He sent me." St. Jude then placed his hands upon the king and the hideous sores of leprosy disappeared with a cure that was both instantaneous and complete.

It is related that such were the subsequent miracles of Jude Thaddeus that, not only the king and his court, but well nigh the entire kingdom of Edessa were converted to the cause of Christ. This incident is given by us to explain the meaning of the miniature of Christ portrayed on the breast of our saint whenever he is represented in statues and pictures.

His last mortal remains now lie in the great basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Pope Paul III, in a brief dated September 22, 1548, granted a plenary indulgence to all who would visit his tomb on the day commemorating his death, October 28 . . . the date of his feast. This, we believe, is a very significant fact, for, plenary indulgences were rarely granted at that time. It is proof manifest that his intercessory power must have been felt then in no mean manner. All the saints, of course, have power with God since they are the special friends of God, but the fact cannot be denied that some have been permitted to make their influence felt more than others. The why and the wherefore belongs to God alone. The history of St. Jude Thaddeus both as to his sojourn upon earth and his relation to his clients now, prove that God has vouchsafed him an extraordinary power in cases where others have failed. It is especially in difficult cases that his wonderful help is experienced. Thousands have implored his aid and have lived to see their prayers answered in an extraordinary and even miraculous manner even when to all human calculation the petition seemed hopeless.

Venerable Columbia, a Dominican nun, was a most ardent devotee of St. Jude, and she lived to see many a petition of grave and serious nature granted through his prayers. Another client among the saints was none other than the immortal St. Bernard of Clairvaux. During his entire life he never ceased to invoke St. Jude Thaddeus and to make use of his relic when the dark clouds of adversity surrounded him. When saint calls upon saint we who are sinners should take courage and invoke that one, as St. Bernard did when he sought the prayers of St. Jude. Even though it be a malady defying all human skill, even though it be a sickness for which there is no apparent remedy, even though it be anguish of soul and distress of heart, poverty, misery, yea even despair, go to Jude Thaddeus, cousin of Our Lord, and he will show you a way out of your troubles, if not through your own solution, at least by a better one conceived of in the mind of the One above us all and in us all. There is no problem so perplexing for which St. Jude Thaddeus, "Patron In Cases Despaired Of," cannot find a solution, thereby bringing joy and gladness to your heart.

Many are the ways of incurring the favor of Saint Jude Thaddeus. Some approach by making systematic visits to the Blessed Sacrament, as for example nine consecutive weekly Holy Hours offered as a novena, others by making a consecutive number of communions in honor, others by means of a triduum or novena of Masses, others by participating in the public solemn novenas held at the Shrine. Choose whichever way pleases you most so long as you remember that the surest way to ap- proach St. Jude Thaddeus is to prove your self worthy of the divine favor. St. Jude Thaddeus, pray for us. May your good prayers be answered through him so that once you have learned to know him, you will have proof manifest of your gratitude by spreading love and devotion to "The Unknown Saint" and "Patron In Difficult and Despaired Of Cases."




Prayer of Praise and Thanksgiving


O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the unutterable heavenly praise with which the Most Holy Trinity extols itself and which thence flows upon Thy Sacred Humanity, upon Mary, upon all the angels and saints, I praise, glorify and bless Thee for all the graces and privileges Thou hast bestowed upon Thy chosen apostle and intimate friend, Jude Thaddeus; I pray Thee for the sake of his merits; grant me Thy grace, and through his intercession come to my aid in all my needs, but especially at the hour of my death deign to strengthen me against the rage of my enemies. Amen.

St. Jude, Model of Humility, Mirror of Patience, Lily of Chastity, Flame of Divine Love, intercede for us!

St. Jude, Comfort of the Sorrowing, Refuge of Sinners, Helper of the Distressed, Special Patron in Hopeless Cases, intercede for us!












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