The feast of St Jude is celebrated as Novena festival from October 19 th to 28 th of every year. The number of devotees participating the festival and novena and to have “Neyyappam Nercha” are increasing day by day. Also people take a special interest in sponsoring festival and Novena to seek the blessings of St Jude.
The programme of activities during the feast includes regular celebrations of the Eucharist, blessings with the oil of St. Jude, and other devotions. During the celebrations there is a piety stall, a display of Carmelite books, and light refreshments available.
St. Jude once asked the Lord a question and received a beautiful answer:
Judas, not the Iscariot, said to him, “Master, what happened that you will reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.” (John 14:22-24)
Imagine how St. Jude must have treasured this profound answer in his heart for the rest of his life! Through our faith in the Communion of Saints, we can be sure that St. Jude is making it part of his prayer for us even today: that we would keep the Lord’s word, so that the Holy Trinity will come and dwell in our hearts.
