Come After Me

November 30, 2009

Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle

But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?" Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly they did; for "Their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world." Romans 10:16-18

As he 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." At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:17-20

Piety

Prayer to St. Andrew the Apostle

http://saints.sqpn.com/pray0146.htm

O Glorious Saint Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend Saint John you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity.

As you led your brother Saint Peter to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for him and dedication in his service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus. Amen.

Study

As we began the month, we contemplated the saints and souls who have gone before us in order to show us the way of obedience. Now, as the month ends and a new liturgical year gets under way with the season of Advent, the story of Andrew, the first Apostle, provide us an opportunity to reflection.

Andrew was a fisherman by trade and was the brother of Simon Peter, the first pope. Before he even knew Jesus, Andrew was a follower of John the Baptist. He became the first man personally called by Christ to follow him. Not only did he respond to that call, he also continued to call others to join the journey first turning to his brother.

Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter). John 1:39-42

The testimony of John the Baptist helped persuade Andrew to follow Jesus. After Andrew spent a day or two with the Lord, he returned to call his brother to join them. What amazing things must he have learned that day? Imagine listening to him at group reunion talking about that close moment with Christ! Despite his occupation and family, Andrew was convinced in very short order to drop everything, follow Jesus and bring others along.

Andrew learned as part of the larger group of disciples as well as at times when he was one of a smaller group that the Gospel had to be preached to all nations, the Jews and the Gentiles. Andrew was at the miracle of the loaves and the fishes – the first meal that foreshadows the Eucharist, at the Passover Feast when the Eucharist was first blessed, broken and shared, and then at the final meal on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

As Jesus was making final preparations for his trial, execution and resurrection, Andrew also was there to hear the Lord say, “Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be.”

Our first reading today from the Letter to the Romans points out that not everyone who heard the word heeded the word. Yet Andrew did become the first in a long line of followers heeded the call to become a “fisher of men.” That discipleship led to Andrew’s crucifixion and death as well.

Action

“Not everyone has heeded the Good News.” A new liturgical cycle begins the constant reminders to our imperfection and how we stumble in our desire to follow Jesus above all else. Too often we heed the bad news which the media will deliver to us every day, every hour, every minute. When we hear the gloom and doom, we are encouraged to do so many things which contradict the message of the Gospel.

Avoid the crowds and save money shopping online.

Look, Ma. No stocks. No stock portfolio yields a year of decent returns.

All you need is love, or to blow something up (a review of video games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Brutal Legend, and Assassin’s Creed 2 and Left 4 Dead 2)

Wait: There’s more! Don’t you also want the night vision goggles, etc.

Yes…those are actual headlines from just ONE section of the Sunday paper (The Washington Post Business Section November 29). What we read, hear and see in the media often call us to action (spend, consume). Let’s make Advent 2009 the season that we heed the message of the Gospel more than the message of the shopping malls.

How can you use this season of preparation to make room in your life not for a new computer or money market fund, but for a little baby who will be born in Bethlehem and needs a place to stay? How can we use the next four weeks to be like St. Andrew, and unconditionally accept the call that Jesus makes for our commitment and our responsibility to bring that message to others?