ST. ANDREW, APOSTLE
Psalter: Proper / (Red)
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
The judgments of the Lord are true and all of them are just.
1st Reading: Rom 10:9-18
You are saved, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and, in your heart, you believe that God raised him from the dead. By believing from the heart, you obtain true righteousness; by confessing the faith with your lips, you are saved. For Scripture says: No one who believes in him will be ashamed. Here, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; all have the same Lord, who is very generous with whoever calls on him. Truly, all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.
But how can they call upon the name of the Lord without having believed in him? And how can they believe in him, without having first heard about him? And how will they hear about him, if no one preaches about him? And how will they preach about him, if no one sends them? As Scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news. Although, not everyone obeyed the good news, as Isaiah said: Lord, who has believed in our preaching? So, faith comes from preaching, and preaching is rooted in the word of Christ.
I ask: Have the Jews not heard? But, of course, they have. Because the voice of those preaching resounded all over the earth, and their voice was heard, to the ends of the world.
Gospel: Mt 4:18-22
As Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come, follow me; and I will make you fish for people.“
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them.
At once, they left the boat, and their father, and followed him.
REFLECTION:
Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium said that the joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness “(EG, 1). But there‘s something more for those who share the good news. The Pope said: “How much good it does when Jesus once more touches our lives and impels us to share his new life. What then happens is that “we speak of what we have seen and heard“ ! Its beauty will amaze us and constantly excite us…and there‘s nothing more precious which we can give others.“ (EG, 264).
The Pope is actually telling us that there is a joy, and in fact, an indescribable joy in sharing the good news. For this, the messengers of good news are blessed. St. Paul in the first reading, also speaks highly of those who become instruments of the proclamation of the word of God: “How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news.“
And this is the reward and the privilege that St. Andrew, the saint we are honoring today, received after following the Lord and after preaching the gospel of Christ even to the extent of offering his life to it.
St. Andrew gave us his lifelong career and lifestyle, leaving everything behind, to follow Jesus. His undying faith in a difficult world is an inspiration to us.
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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