Saint of the Day
St. Andrew the Apostle
Andrew was the brother of Simon Peter and, like him, a fisherman from Bethsaida on the Sea of Galilee. He was the first of the apostles called by Jesus and is traditionally considered the founder of the church at Constantinople. He is the patron saint of Scotland, Russia, and Greece. He is believed to have been martyred on an X-shaped cross (crux decussata), known as Saint Andrew's Cross, in Patras, Greece.
Scripture Reading
John 1:40-42
Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
Reflection
St. Andrew the Apostle heard the testimony of John the Baptist and simply followed — and then, before doing anything else, went to bring his brother. Andrew's instinct is a model of Advent witness: when you have found the Messiah, the natural response is to go and get someone else. In this season of watching and waiting, we also watch for the people around us who are waiting without knowing what they wait for. Go, find them, and bring them.
Prayer for Today
God of hope, who brought love into this world,
be the love that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of hope, the rock we stand upon,
be the centre, the focus of our lives
always, and particularly this Advent time.
be the love that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought peace into this world,
be the peace that dwells between us.
God of hope, who brought joy into this world,
be the joy that dwells between us.
God of hope, the rock we stand upon,
be the centre, the focus of our lives
always, and particularly this Advent time.
Amen.