Gospel (Lk 6,12-19) - In those days, Jesus went to the mountain to pray and spent the whole night praying to God. When it was day, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, to whom he also gave the name of apostles: Simon, to whom he also gave the name of Peter; Andrea, his brother; James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas; James, son of Alphaeus; Simon, called Zealot; Judah, son of James; and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor. Having descended with them, he stopped in a flat place. There was a large crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea, from Jerusalem and from the coast of Tire and Sidon, who had come to listen to him and be healed of their illnesses; even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were healed. The whole crowd tried to touch him, because a strength came out of him that healed everyone.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Today the Church remembers the apostles Simon and Judas. Simon is nicknamed the "zealot" perhaps because he belonged to the anti-Roman group of zealots who also practiced violence. Tradition has it that he preached the Gospel in Samaria, in Mesopotamia and died in Persia. Judas, also known as Thaddeus which means "magnanimous", is the apostle who at the last supper asked Jesus to reveal himself only to the disciples and not to the world. His name appears last in the lists of the apostles. Tradition indicates him as the author of the letter of the same name addressed to converts from Judaism. Almost nothing is known about their lives. But this does not make them any less important than the others. In the Church, notoriety does not count, but communion with the Lord and with his brothers. In the Gospel passage it is underlined not the diversity of their tasks but the crucial fact of all being next to Jesus. The search for who among them is the first seems completely out of place. Unfortunately, it also happens frequently in the Christian community. First place is not sought in serving, but rather in appearing or being protagonists. The primacy to seek is rather that of love, of generous, disinterested service. The evangelist underlines the list of names. Jesus calls everyone by name, even Simon and Judas. It is his direct call - by name - that makes them disciples and then apostles, sent for the mission of the Gospel. From this common call also flows the brotherhood between them. For this reason, Jesus will be able to say that it is through mutual love that others will recognize them as his disciples. The name, in the biblical mentality, is not just a useful tool to call us, it is much more: it means the history, the heart, the life of each one.