FOLLOWING JESUS WITHOUT HESITATION
Introduction
Andrew must have been a seeker of God. He first followed John the Baptist, then, when John had pointed out Jesus he transferred to Jesus. He brought several to Jesus: his brother Simon Peter, some Greeks looking for Jesus; at the multiplication he noticed the boy with the loaves and the fish and brought him to Jesus. Tradition says that he was an apostle in the Balkans and Southern Russia; he is the patron of the Church of Constantinople. With Andrew, let us bring people to Jesus.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we honor today your great apostle Andrew.
With him make us restless seekers for you
and bring many to Jesus and to you.
Let Jesus be our life and trust
and when we have found Jesus,
do not let us keep him to ourselves
but share him with all around
with the riches of his love and forgiveness,
his mercy and compassion.
This we ask you through Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading ROMANS 10:9–18
Brothers and sisters: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news! But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us? Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly they did; for their voice has gone forth to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple. R.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye. R.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just. R.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb. R.
Gospel Reading: MATTHEW 4:18-22
As Jesus walked by the lake of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. Jesus called them. At once they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Commentary
Andrew’s Example
As Pope Benedict XVI observed, the very name of apostle Andrew points to certain cultural openness in his family, for his name is not Hebrew but Greek. We find this openness characterizing his very nature. He was a seeker of Truth, as is evident from him being a disciple of John the Baptist. When John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, he is willing to follow Jesus and stay with him. Later, he goes to his brother Simon (Peter) to share the good news and bring him to Jesus (cf. Jn 1:40-43). At the multiplication of loaves, Andrew is the one who notices the boy with a few bread and fish, and alerts Jesus about him (cf. Jn 6:8-9). When some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus, Andrew, together with Philip, leads them to Jesus (cf. Jn 12:20-22). Thus, Andrew teaches us what authentic missionary work is: bring people to Jesus. He also teaches us how to become missionary in the given context of our lives.
Intercessions
That we may thank the Lord that we have found Jesus, the Messiah and our Savior, we pray:
That many all over the world may recognize and welcome Jesus as the meaning of their lives, we pray:
That by the way we live we make Jesus recognizable to others, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
let your Holy Spirit bring us to this table
and unite us with all your apostles and disciples
to celebrate the Last Supper of your Son.
Let this meal unite us closely to him
and make us also eager apostles
who want everyone to know and encounter
Jesus your Son as the center of their lives.
This we ask thorough Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
we have sat at the table of your Son;
we have listened to his challenging word
and eaten his bread of life and strength.
We pray you to hasten the day
when people from all nations and cultures
may sit with us at the same table,
be one with us in your Son
and sing to you with our many voices
one harmonious symphony of praise.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
Let us attract people to Jesus by the way we live. For we too are part of the missionary Church. Do so with the blessing of almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!