What do we know about Andrew? Haven’t we all known someone like him? On fire, zealous, impatient to tell good news to others? Every family seems to have someone like him. There are two accounts of Andrew’s call as an apostle by Jesus in the Gospels.
According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus selected four fishermen: Andrew and his brother Peter, with James and his brother John, right from their fishing boats.
Peter and Andrew "immediately" left their nets and followed Jesus. Similarly, James and John "immediately" left the boats with their father and followed Jesus.
According to John’s Gospel, John and Andrew were the disciples of John the Baptist, and they had been encouraged to follow Jesus by John the Baptist.
John the Baptist had pointed out Jesus as "the Lamb of God" (Jn 1:38-30), suggesting that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.
On the subject of apostles leading others to Christ...first, we find Andrew.
After spending a night with Jesus, Andrew lead his brother Peter to Jesus. Next, in the Gospel, Andrew appears in the scene of the multiplication of the bread where Jesus miraculously fed a multitude. While Philip gave a bad report of the situation, Andrew went among the multitude and found a boy who offered to give his small food packet of five bread and fish to Jesus to feed the multitude.
Andrew, who saw Jesus miraculously supplying wine at Cana, knew that Jesus could work another miracle with five barley loaves and two dried fish.
We find Andrew a third time in the Gospel, bringing a few Greek pilgrims to Jesus.
The pilgrims had first approached Philip for help, and Philip had sought the help of Andrew to bring them to Jesus.
There is also the subject of preaching and of martyrdom. According to Church tradition, Andrew preached the Gospel in Greece and Turkey, and was crucified at Patras on an X-shaped cross to which he was tied.
According to another tradition, he also preached in Scotland and Russia. Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Russia, of Scotland, and of fishermen.
St. Andrew’s zeal is a real inspiration to us. When Saint John the Baptist pointed to Jesus, saying, "Behold! The Lamb of God!", Andrew and John, Zebedee’s son, immediately ran after Him with their inquiries.
After talking with Jesus, Andrew wasted no time in bringing his brother, Simon Peter, to meet Jesus.
Andrew, full of excitement, tells Peter, and everyone he meets, about our Lord.
Through Andrew’s evangelization, Saint Peter, our first pope, was brought to Jesus.
- Father Willy's inspirational homily was recorded live this morning during Mass at the Father Peyton Center. Please view the video on our Facebook page.(You don't need a Facebook account to view.)
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