February 18 | Saint Simon of Jerusalem

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories.

Today, imagine being the last one left. The last person on earth who remembers the sound of Jesus' voice. The last person who remembers exactly how he laughed, or the dust on his sandals as he walked down the road. Imagine carrying that memory for decades, through wars, through fire, through the destruction of your entire city, and now you are over 100 years old.

Today, we are looking at a man who bridges the gap between the Bible and history, St. Simon of Jerusalem. St. Simon of Jerusalem was born around the first century and didn't die until the year 107. That is a long life, especially for back then. Eventually, he took on the dangerous vocation of a bishop, but his story starts way before he put on any bishop's robes. Simon was a relative of Jesus Christ, possibly a first cousin. Think about that for a second.

We are just talking about a disciple who met Jesus later in life. We are talking about family. In fact, Simon is actually mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew as one of the brethren of Jesus. He was there from the very beginning, and he didn't leave when things got tough.

The Acts of the Apostles tells us that Simon was present at Pentecost. He was there in that upper room when the tongues of fire came down and the church was born. But Simon's life wasn't just about sitting around remembering the good old days. He had a massive job to do. He witnessed the martyrdom of St. James the Lesser.

St. James was the first bishop of Jerusalem, and watching him die for the faith must have been terrifying. But Simon didn't run away. Instead, Simon stepped up. He became James' successor as the new bishop of Jerusalem. This puts him in one of the most dangerous positions on the planet at one of the most dangerous times in history. The Roman Empire was not happy with Jerusalem. Tensions were rising. War was coming. Imagine you are the leader of a community, and you know an army is coming to destroy your city.

What do you do? Do you fight? Do you hide? Simon chose to lead. Before the city fell to the Romans, Simon made a bold move. He organized the Christians in Jerusalem and led an evacuation. He took them out of the city to a place called Pella. Because of his leadership, the community survived the destruction. But the story doesn't end there. This is the part that shows true grit. After the destruction of the city, when the dust had settled and the Romans had done their worst, Simon didn't stay in safety.

He led the Christians back to the city. He returned to the ruins to rebuild the community. And it wasn't just a construction project. It was a spiritual revival. They performed miracles and converted many people to the faith. Eventually, Simon was arrested.

The charges against him were unique. The Romans didn't just hate him for one reason. They hated him for two. He was eventually tortured and crucified for being both Jewish and Christian. It's a tragic end, but also a poetic one. He died in 107, crucified just like Jesus was. He stayed faithful to his bloodline and his Savior until the very end. He was mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew, and he spent his life protecting the truth. When you are facing a big change, maybe a new school, a new team, or a tough situation, don't hide from it.

Simon returned to the city to perform miracles and help others. Today, if you see a ruined situation, like a friendship that's fallen apart or a project that's gone wrong, don't just walk away. Be the leader who goes back in to help rebuild.

If you're up for an additional challenge, take five minutes today to open the scriptures. Read a chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, where Simon's name is written. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.