Nov. 30, 2015 Monday: St. Andrew the Apostle
Nov. 30, 2015 Monday: St. Andrew the Apostle
One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42a).
Following Christ as a Family
If you heard of a great new restaurant in your neighborhood that offered unbelievably great tasting and healthy food for free, would you actually go to the restaurant or be content to just hear about it? Wouldn’t you not only go, but also tell your family and friends and try to bring them too?
In the Gospel reading for the Feast Day of St. Andrew, the Apostle Andrew heard about Jesus Christ, and then followed after Him. You, too, have heard of Christ; but are you following Him? Furthermore, Andrew not only followed Christ, but found his brother and brought him to Jesus. Are you willing to be like St Andrew – willing to find and bring others to Christ? Are you willing to be like St. Peter – willing to be found and brought to Christ?
It is necessary for you t not only hear Christ, but to follow Him – and to follow Him with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Why can’t you just follow Christ on your own? If you are like Andrew and are already following Christ, why should you go and find your brother or sister who is unaware of Christ or struggling in his or her faith? You do it out of love. Just as you would not enjoy eating at the restaurant by yourself as much as you would with your loved ones, no one who knows and is following Christ wants to be saved alone. If you are like Simon, you can’t follow Christ on your own because you won’t know how to proceed. You won’t know how to get to Christ, how to follow Him.
If you try to follow Christ on your own, you determine your own fate. No one is there to pick you up when you fall. Neither can you pick anyone up when they fall. Our Church does not function this way. We are a body. A leg or eye can’t just decide to function on its own. Remember the disembodied hand, “Thing”, from The Addams Family? He could do a lot of things but he always needed to be carried in his box and placed where he could function.
Therefore, do not try to follow Christ without your brothers and sisters.
Fr. David Bleam
http://standrewpns.org/about/st-andrew-feat-day-homily/
One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus (John 1:40-42a).
Following Christ as a Family
If you heard of a great new restaurant in your neighborhood that offered unbelievably great tasting and healthy food for free, would you actually go to the restaurant or be content to just hear about it? Wouldn’t you not only go, but also tell your family and friends and try to bring them too?
In the Gospel reading for the Feast Day of St. Andrew, the Apostle Andrew heard about Jesus Christ, and then followed after Him. You, too, have heard of Christ; but are you following Him? Furthermore, Andrew not only followed Christ, but found his brother and brought him to Jesus. Are you willing to be like St Andrew – willing to find and bring others to Christ? Are you willing to be like St. Peter – willing to be found and brought to Christ?
It is necessary for you t not only hear Christ, but to follow Him – and to follow Him with your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Why can’t you just follow Christ on your own? If you are like Andrew and are already following Christ, why should you go and find your brother or sister who is unaware of Christ or struggling in his or her faith? You do it out of love. Just as you would not enjoy eating at the restaurant by yourself as much as you would with your loved ones, no one who knows and is following Christ wants to be saved alone. If you are like Simon, you can’t follow Christ on your own because you won’t know how to proceed. You won’t know how to get to Christ, how to follow Him.
If you try to follow Christ on your own, you determine your own fate. No one is there to pick you up when you fall. Neither can you pick anyone up when they fall. Our Church does not function this way. We are a body. A leg or eye can’t just decide to function on its own. Remember the disembodied hand, “Thing”, from The Addams Family? He could do a lot of things but he always needed to be carried in his box and placed where he could function.
Therefore, do not try to follow Christ without your brothers and sisters.
Fr. David Bleam
http://standrewpns.org/about/st-andrew-feat-day-homily/
