Homily – November 30, 2009 – St. Andrew

+ Today we celebrate the feast of St. Andrew the Apostle. He is brother to Simon Peter. Both were fishermen from Capernaum. Andrew first became a disciple of the great St. John the Baptist, but when John pointed to Jesus and said, "Behold the Lamb of God!" Andrew understood that Jesus was greater. At once he left John to follow the Divine Master. Jesus knew that Andrew as walking behind him, and turning back, he asked, "what do you seek?" When Andrew answered that he would like to know where Jesus lived, he replied, "Come and see." Andrew had been only a little time with Jesus when he realized that this was truly the Messiah.

From then on, Andrew chose to follow Jesus. He was thus the first disciple of Christ. Next, Andrew brought his brother Simon to Jesus and Jesus received him, too, as his disciple. It is believed that after Jesus ascended into heaven, St. Andrew went to Greece to preach the gospel. He is said to have been put to death on an X-shaped cross, to which he was tied, not nailed. He lived two days in that state of suffering, still preaching to the people who gathered around their beloved Apostle. Andrew is the Patron Saint of both Russia and Scotland.

Our first reading today tells of the great importance of having the message of salvation and the word of God literally spoken, preached: how else could people come to believe if they do not literally hear the message, and how can they hear the message if preachers are not sent: and how can preachers be sent if they do not listen to the Holy Spirit and discern a vocation to do so. Andrew, Simon (Peter), the rest of the Twelve and all bishops, priests and deacons since the time of the ascension have done just that: discerned their vocation and then accepted the commission by the Church to be sent far and wide to proclaim the Good News of Salvation.

The reception was not always welcome – as in the case of Andrew and all of the Twelve and many other martyrs throughout the history of the Church – but the effort is always well spent when priority is given to the proclamation of what can save souls!

May we respond, each in our own way today, to be "fishers of men" in the way marked out for us by the Lord himself. There is so much work still to be done and so little time to do it! We do not have a minute to spare!

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.