Today, we celebrate the feast of St Andrew, Apostle. Tradition passes down Andrew as the first apostle called by Jesus. We hear about Andrew’s call from Matthew’s Gospel, as Andrew and Peter are called to leave their lives as fishermen to follow Jesus. In the version of this calling as told in the John’s Gospel, Andrew and another disciple of John the Baptist are walking along the banks of the Jordan River when they hear John the Baptist call Jesus “the Lamb of God.” Jesus saw Andrew and the other disciple following him, so he asked them, “What are you looking for?” Jesus then invited them to where he was staying. In return, Andrew invites his brother Peter to see Jesus for himself. In asking Andrew what he is looking for, Jesus looked deeply into Andrew’s soul, asking him to delve into his purpose in life, asking him if he would give up his life entirely to God. Jesus lights a spark in Andrew, a spark that grows into a life of discipleship.
Tradition passes down that Andrew was a missionary in the countries of Ukraine and Georgia. He died as a martyr while on a missionary trip to Greece. Andrew, Peter, and the other disciples left their old lives behind to become new creations as disciples of Christ, making many sacrifices for the faith. As we reflect upon today’s Gospel message, we might ask ourselves: What is the Lord asking us to leave behind this Advent season as we prepare for Christ’s birth into the world?
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