November 30, 2016

Andrew

November 30, 2016:  St. Andrew, Apostle

See 13 connections with today?
Legend below
Listen

Pope Francis
General Audience:  Tomorrow is UN-promoted World AIDS Day.  Millions live with this illness and only half have access to life-saving therapies.  Pray for them and their families and promote solidarity so the poor can benefit from adequate diagnosis and treatment.  Act responsibly to prevent further spread of AIDS.
To Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew:  I'm joyful to send a delegation to the celebration of the feast of St. Andrew, patron of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to convey my best wishes to you, the Holy Synod, the clergy, and all gathered to remember him.  The exchange of delegations between Rome and Constantinople is a sign of the bonds that unite Rome and Constantinople and an expression of yearning for deeper communion.  The intercession of our patrons and the martyrs sustain us in our journey towards eucharistic communion.
It is for Catholics a source of encouragement that we're committed to reestablishing the unity of Christians.  You've remained conscious of existing difficulties to unity and have kept fostering encounter and dialogue.  Because of past conflicts in relations between Christians, some cling to past attitudes, but prayer, common good works, and dialogue can enable us to overcome division.  Catholics and Orthodox have begun to recognize one another as brothers and sisters, to value each other’s gifts, and together to proclaim the Gospel, serve others, care for the needy and for creation, and promote peace, human dignity, and the value of the family.  Theological dialogue has contributed to mutual understanding.
I fondly recall our meeting in Assisi to appeal for world peace; it deepened our friendship, expressed in a shared vision regarding questions that affect the life of the Church and society.  I renew my best wishes for peace, health, and blessings on you and all entrusted to your care.
Read
  • Rom 10:9-18  All, Jew or Gentile, who confess Jesus as Lord, believe God raised him, and call on the Lord will be saved.  People need to be sent to preach so others can hear, believe, and call on the Lord.  Faith comes from what is heard, through Christ's word.  How beautiful the feet of those who bring good news!  Their voice has gone forth to all the earth.
  • Ps 19:8-11  "The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just." or "Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life."  The law of the Lord is perfect, trustworthy, right, clear, pure, true, just, precious, and sweet, giving refreshment, wisdom, joy, and light.
  • Mt 4:18-22  Jesus to fishermen Simon and his brother Andrew:  “Come; I'll make you fishers of men.”  They followed him.  He called James and John; they left their boat and father and followed him.
Reflect
    • Creighton:  We don't know much about what sets Andrew apart from the other eleven.  He was Peter’s brother, from Bethsaida but later settled down in Capernaum.  He was a disciple of John the Baptizer, who introduced him to Jesus as Lamb of God.  He told his brother he met the Messiah.  Paul’s description of evangelization helps us ponder our own call to be apostles and evangelists, messengers carrying the good news, called from baptism to share in the mission of Jesus as prophet, priest, and king.  Living the role of evangelist means talking about Jesus and our faith.  If talking about Jesus seems unnatural to us, maybe we haven't followed and been with Jesus like the apostles.  We can ponder Jesus’ life and teaching in Scripture, pray about and to Jesus as our Lord, and be with other disciples.  Meeting with kindred spirits to pray and talk about our efforts to live our faith helps us serve others in Jesus’ name; they'll ask what keeps us happy, loving, and hopeful.  The "new evangelization” is really the original evangelization practiced by the apostles, the seventy-two, the five hundred, Paul, and all the rest....
      St. Andrew icon
    • One Bread, One Body:  "Odd man out":  When Jesus called his first apostles, he started with Peter, Andrew, James, and John; actually Andrew introduced Peter to Jesus.  We see them together in other parts of the gospel, but Andrew seems to have been dropped from the inner circle:  only Peter, James, and John accompanied Jesus to the Transfiguration, the raising of Jairus' daughter, Gethsemane.  Andrew may have struggled with feeling excluded; we may have the struggle of being left out.  Even if it's God's will, we can feel jealous, resentful, or unforgiving.  But we won't be left out of the most important things, like God's grace, love, and eternal life.  May we be like Andrew and thank God for calling us to serve him, even if we're left out of some things....
    • Passionist:  Over a quarter of our bones are in our feet.  Our feet enable us to stand, dance, play sports, kick.  They can be the feet of Christ.  “Christ has no body but yours… Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, the hands with which he blesses the world, the eyes..." (But did Teresa of Avila really say this?)  “How beautiful... are the feet of those who bring good tidings.”  We honor Andrew, the first to hear and answer Jesus' call and walk with him.  He went on to use his feet to bring good tidings to many places.  May his example inspire us to walk with Jesus. using our whole bodies in service of the gospel.
      • Andrew, fisherman, apostle, one of the first to follow Jesus, introduced his brother, Simon Peter, to him.
      • Cuthbert Mayne, priest, martyr
    Dress legend
    • NEW "What would Jesus do" pin:  "They left their nets and followed him" (gospel)
    • 'Feet' pin: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news! (1st reading)
    • 'Phone' tie bar:  All who 'call' on the Lord will be saved (1st reading); Jesus called fishermen (gospel)
    • 'Fishes' tie:  Jesus called during fishing expedition (gospel)
    • 'Fishing pole' tie bar: Peter and Andrew were fishermen (gospel)
    • 'Boat' tie bar: James and John were in a boat with their dad (gospel)
    • 'Heart' pin:  One believes with the heart and so is justified (1st reading); the Lord's precepts rejoice the heart... (psalm)
    • 'Eyeball' pin:  ...and enlighten the eye; (psalm)
    • Gold-colored accessories:  they're more precious than gold... (psalm)
    • Comb (in pocket, so I didn't count it):  ...and sweeter than honey from the 'comb' (psalm)
    • Red shirt:  St. Andrew, apostle
    • Purple in suspenders:  Advent season
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