Feast of Saint Andrew, apostle
(Romans 10:9-18; Matthew 4:18-22)
In his seminal exhortation on evangelization, Pope Paul VI wrote: “Modern man listens more willingly to witnesses than to teachers, and if he does listen to teachers, it is because they are witnesses.” Little is said about the apostle Andrew in the gospels outside of the stories of his being called by Jesus. But as Paul VI said, the witness that he gives in those calls speaks forcefully through the ages.
Peter and Andrew are probably like most fishermen. They love the sea not only as the source of food for the table but also for the freedom it brings. But the call of Jesus is more powerful than the attraction of the sea. They tarry not a minute but respond to the call at once. More than any kind of curiosity on their part, such witness indicates Jesus' charisma that he will fulfill their deepest longings.
We need to give witness as well. It starts with how we present ourselves. Do our homes feature a cross identifying Jesus as he who brings peace to our lives? Do we mention Jesus as the source of our success or do we talk about ourselves as all important? Exhibiting a cross and invoking Jesus’ name tells other of his importance and provides us standards according to which we should pattern our lives.
