After two thousand years of Christian history, it is sometimes easy to forget what happened in the early years of Christianity. And it is easy to overlook the importance of people in previous times. Our lives as Christians are possible because of the witness of holy women and men throughout the ages who handed down the gospel of Jesus Christ to us. The scripture readings for today remind us of the importance of apostles and missionaries and their role in turning people’s attention to Christ.
In the first reading, Paul speaks of the importance of the apostles and celebrates their role in bringing the good news of Jesus to the world. It is interesting to dwell on the image from the scripture that Paul quotes: the feet of those who bear the good news to others are beautiful. Their feet are beautiful, because the message that they are bringing is beautiful. It is the saving message of Jesus.
The first reading leads naturally into the gospel reading. The story of the calling of the fishermen is remarkable for at least two reasons. First, Jesus initially chose humble people to be his disciples rather than those who were highly educated in religion. Yet, these disciples, including Peter and his brother Andrew, went on to do great things in spreading the good news and building up the church. Understanding that this is so is very inspiring. The implication is that we can be of service to God no matter who we are. Second, it is noteworthy how quickly Peter and Andrew responded to Jesus. They did not delay or give excuses. They followed him immediately, leaving their fishing nets on the beach. Notice that in doing this they gave up their means of making a living—essentially quitting their jobs in order to follow Jesus. How many people would do the same thing today?
As the advent season begins it is appropriate to consider whether our response to Jesus is as immediate as that of the fishermen. Is there anything holding us back? Do we have attachments to the world that hold us back from following Jesus immediately? Second, it raises the question of what Jesus is calling us to do. Is he calling us to go outside of our routine, to do something new for the sake of building his kingdom? If we are called by Jesus to follow him, then we are also called to do something. This may be something as simple as sharing God’s love with those whom we encounter in our daily lives. Or perhaps it means going out of our way to reach out to other people—who may be near to us or far away.
Today the Church commemorates the witness of the Apostle Andrew. Andrew is notable not just for having been one of the first apostles called by Christ. According to tradition he was crucified on an X-shaped cross while on a missionary journey to Greece. An early account of his martyrdom attests that Andrew preached while he was hanging on a cross for two days. This shows remarkable dedication and faithfulness to the last. Today he is considered one of the patrons of Scotland, Greece, and Russia. In memory of Andrew and the other apostles, let us keep in mind and pray for those who are working to share the good news of Jesus Christ and ministering to the needs of people in our country and around the world.
-Joel Schickel