Bernihaat Friary, Parish and School, Meghalaya

After the Last Supper it was Jude who asked Our Lord why he chose to reveal Himself only to the disciples. He received the reply: “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” (John 14:22f) The New Testament Epistle of Jude was written by “Judas the brother of James,” which could refer to either Jude. In any case, we commemorate on this day (1) Simon the Zealot, one of the original Twelve; (2) Judas of James (also called Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus), also one of the original Twelve; and (3) Jude (or Judas) the brother of James and author of the Epistle, without settling the question of whether (2) and (3) are the same person.

 This place is heaven on earth....all around hills and a river flowing by....but it is polluted area as there are many factories around.....the friars live on the top of the hill, still the dust and air is affecting all...

 The friars have got 72 villages to look after which they do it faithfully....practically they are out in the villages....for Marriage, Baptism and funeral.....the farthest village is about 53km......besides pastoral ministry they have a school for all the tribes of Meghalaya and boarding too.....

The Epistle of Jude is a brief document addressed to the Church, and warns against corrupt influences that have crept in. It has some obscure and baffling references to old Jewish traditions, but it includes a memorable exhortation to “contend for the faith once delivered to the saints,” and an even more memorable closing: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding great joy, to the only wise God, or Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.”

In popular usage, St Jude is often prayed to as the patron of lost causes, the “saint of last resort,” the one you ask for help when all else fails.Maybe this is because his name reminds hearers of Judas Iscariot, so that people were inclined to try one of the other apostles first, making Jude  “the saint of last resort,” the one whom you ask only when nothing else seems to help!