November 30, 2009
First Monday after Advent 1

The Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle

Matthew 4:18-22

Most biographical notes on the Apostle begin “Andrew was Simon Peter’s  brother,” and he is so described in the Gospels. Identifying Andrew as Peter’s brother makes it easy to know who he is, but it also makes it easy to overlook the fact of Andrew’s special gift to the company of Christ. Andrew was one of two disciples who followed Jesus after John the Baptist pointed him out. Andrew and the other disciple went with Jesus and stayed with him, and Andrew’s first act afterward was to find his brother and bring him to Jesus. We might call Andrew the first missionary in the company of disciples.

Andrew and Peter were fishermen, and Matthew’s Gospel records Jesus’ calling them from their occupations, and their immediate response to his call. Andrew was the disciple who brought the boy with the loaves and fishes to Jesus for the feeding of the multitude.

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Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give us, who are called by your holy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.