St. Andrew quietly served Christ, sharing His word with others
Reflections on the readings for the Feast of St. Andrew (November 30, 2018): ROM 10:9-18; PS 19:8,9,10,11; MT 4:18-22
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
In the Gospel for this feast of St. Andrew, we hear Christ’s famous invitation to follow Him and, in time, to reach out to others.
“As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, ‘Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men’” (Matthew 4:18-19). Andrew and Peter did indeed leave behind their nets and their whole way of life to become disciples of an itinerant preacher. In time, they would learn that He was not only the Savior of the world, but also the Son of God.
Andrew was not among the “inner circle” of Jesus’ friends like Peter. But he is mentioned as being the Apostle who told Jesus about the boy with a few loaves and fishes that He used to feed thousands. Clearly, Andrew never allowed envy or anything else to interfere with the truth and love of our Lord’s message. According to tradition, Andrew preached the Gospel in Turkey, Greece and, possibly as far as Russia. He was a martyr who died on an X-shaped cross, now known as St. Andrew’s cross. He is a patron of fishermen, Russia and Scotland.
Suggested missionary action: A number of Jesus’ disciples were siblings: Andrew and Peter, John and James, and Mary, Martha and Lazarus. Let us make an effort to spend some time with our own brothers and sisters, to appreciate their presence in our lives, and to ask God’s blessing on them.