HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE. (2)

HOMILY FOR THE FEAST OF SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE.

THEME: Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’ And they left their nets at once and followed him.

BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA.

HOMILY FOR NOVEMBER 10.

*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Romans 10:9-18
Psalm 18:2-5
Matthew 4:18-22

*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
RED

*INTRODUCTION*
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today the Church celebrates the Feast Saint Andrew the Apostle. Saint Andrew was once a fisherman of the region of the lake of Galilee, together with his brother Peter, who became the chief of all the Apostles and first Vicar of Christ, as well as the sons of Zebedee, St. James and St. John, another two of the Twelve Apostles. Altogether, the four of them were the first of the Twelve Apostles to follow the Lord, and were the Lord’s first disciples, leaving everything behind in order to follow Him.

*FROM THE FIRST READING*
In the first reading, Paul declares that ‘faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of God’. Good preaching is rooted in God’s word and nurtures faith. The preacher needs to be a good listener to God’s word if his or her preaching is to generate and nurture faith. As Christians, we recognize the New Testament as the privileged place where we hear God’s word. The Lord speaks to us through the inspired writings of what has come to be known as the New Testament.

RELATED: HOMILY FOR FEAST OF ST. ANDREW

*FROM THE GOSPEL READING*
Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter. They both earned their living by fishing on the Sea of Galilee. According to this morning’s gospel reading, they were the first whom Jesus called to become his followers and they were the first to respond to his calling, leaving their fishing business to go where Jesus went. When the Matthew, Mark and Luke list the names of the twelve, Simon Peter is always mentioned first and Andrew second, suggesting that Peter was the more significant of the two within the circle of Jesus. Indeed, Peter was clearly the leader of the twelve, the disciple whom Jesus called to be rock on which he would build his church, the shepherd to whom he entrusted the care of his flock.

*FROM THE GOSPEL OF JOHN*
according to John’s gospel, Andrew was the first to spend time with Jesus and to recognize him as the Messiah, and it was Andrew who subsequently brought his brother Simon Peter to Jesus. ‘He first found his brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah”’ (John 1:41). According to this gospel, Peter may have gone on to have a more prominent role in Jesus’ circle than Andrew, but it was Andrew who created the opening for Peter to meet with Jesus initially.

*WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THE FEAST OF TODAY?*
Today dear brethren, we are reminded about the ministry of opening a door to the Lord for others, this is very significant always. We can all enter into that task of creating a space for others to encounter the Lord. Whenever we take on this ‘Andrew role’ for others, it can have consequences for good beyond our imagining.

*CONCLUSION*
We need companions in faith who help to bring us to the Lord, as Andrew brought Simon to the Lord. We are all called to be preachers and teachers in that sense, people of faith who witness to our faith in ways that help others to meet the Lord for themselves.
Happy Feast Of St Andrew.

 

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