Nov. 30, 2016: Feast of St. Andrew, The Apostle
Nov. 30, 2016: Feast of St. Andrew, The Apostle
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-22)
What kind of disciples did Jesus choose? Fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work - he chose very ordinary people. These same disciples, and those who would soon be chosen to join them, are the ones who would proclaim the life and death of Jesus and the saving, life-giving message of His triumphant resurrection! Those he called were non-professionals, had no wealth or position of power or fame in society. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would become under his direction and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples, we think we have nothing to offer him in exchange. The Lord takes what ordinary people can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom.
God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the Gospel? What do we do so that others around us may come to know Our Lord? He has chosen us to be agents of change wherever we live, play, work and travel.
Mother Teresa said it beautifully: “Christ prays in me, Christ works in me, Christ thinks in me, Christ looks through my eyes, Christ speaks through my words, Christ works with my hands, Christ walks with my feet, Christ loves with my heart. As St Paul’s prayer was: “I belong to Christ and nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.” It was that oneness, oneness with God in the Holy Spirit.”
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-22)
What kind of disciples did Jesus choose? Fishermen! In the choice of the first apostles we see a characteristic feature of Jesus' work - he chose very ordinary people. These same disciples, and those who would soon be chosen to join them, are the ones who would proclaim the life and death of Jesus and the saving, life-giving message of His triumphant resurrection! Those he called were non-professionals, had no wealth or position of power or fame in society. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these individuals, not for what they were, but for what they would become under his direction and the power of the Holy Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus calls each of us to be his disciples, we think we have nothing to offer him in exchange. The Lord takes what ordinary people can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom.
God wants others to see the light of Christ in us in the way we live, speak, and witness the joy of the Gospel? What do we do so that others around us may come to know Our Lord? He has chosen us to be agents of change wherever we live, play, work and travel.
Mother Teresa said it beautifully: “Christ prays in me, Christ works in me, Christ thinks in me, Christ looks through my eyes, Christ speaks through my words, Christ works with my hands, Christ walks with my feet, Christ loves with my heart. As St Paul’s prayer was: “I belong to Christ and nothing will separate me from the love of Christ.” It was that oneness, oneness with God in the Holy Spirit.”
