Feast of Saint Andrew, apostle
(Romans 10:9-18; Matthew 4:18-22)
Once it was said that the Feast of St. Andrew was the
beginning of Advent. Of course, that is
not true. But the beginning of Advent always
falls on the Sunday closest to the Feast of St. Andrew. The two events have more in common than this,
however.
Advent announces the coming of Christ to judge the world. Andrew, like the other apostles, preached this
message. Now, almost 2000 years have
passed since this message was first proclaimed.
Still Christ has not come. Is it
rational to continue expecting him?
Yes, we can answer, for several reasons. First, Andrew testified to the risen Christ
whom he evidently saw. Indeed, he was
martyred for his testimony. Second,
saints through the ages – including some of history’s wisest people – gave the
same testimony. Their faith was more than
the youthful enthusiasm. It was insight verified
by experience. Finally, the inherent
logic of the faith that has been handed down begs adherence. Meditation confirms that Catholic doctrine conforms
well with the deepest human intuitions. Other reasons can be added. Nevertheless,
we cannot escape the truth that acceptance of Christ’s return depends on faith.
