Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle
In today’s first reading, St. Paul wrote to the Romans, "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all,” (Romans 10:12). In the early Christian community, there were two main cultural groups: Jews and Greeks (or Gentiles). These two groups had different customs and traditions. Sometimes they clashed, such as whether or not all men should be circumcised and dietary laws (see Acts 15:1-21). Therefore, Paul told the Christians in Rome that the uniting factor of believing in Jesus Christ is primary. He echoed Jesus’ redefinition of family in which membership is given by God and not determined by genes, lineage, or marriage (see Matthew 12:49-50 and Luke 8:21). Indeed, this happens today every time we worship together or gather together because of our faith. When I attend Mass, there are many people of different ethnicities, races, and political beliefs, but we all come together in church to worship. No one is or should be turned away at the door. We can all be witnesses to God’s love for all people.
The second part of today’s first reading addresses spreading the Gospel to others. Paul posed the questions, “But how can they call on [God] in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in [God] in whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15). These same questions can be asked of us today. How are we preaching the Gospel? How can people encounter God through us? I’m reminded of a quote that Mahatma Gandhi, who was Hindu, reportedly said, “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be Christian?” He was referring to his experience of racial segregation in a church and emphasized the importance of living the Gospel we ascribe to. People can “hear” about God through seeing us act like Jesus. This reading challenges us to reflect on how we live our lives and how we can learn more from Jesus Christ as his disciples.
One of the people who lived out the Gospel was the person whose feast day we celebrate today, St. Andrew. His encounter with Jesus was so profound that he and his brother Peter “at once” (Matthew 4:20) left what they were doing and followed him. St. Andrew can help us reflect on how we have been called by God and what God calls us to do. Jesus tells Andrew and Peter, “Come after me” (Matthew 4:19). How are you called to "come after" or follow Jesus?
—Sr. Emily Sandoval, FMI