I was asked to conduct a service at the Eddie Warrior correctional facility, and readily agreed. I offered Mass and sermon, and administered four baptism and a large number of reaffirmations.
Being Saint Andrew's Day, my sermon was a reflection about his life. We do not know a lot. We do that he was from Capharnaum, where Jesus had his headquarters. Andrew was a fisherman and was the brother of Simon Peter. The details of their call disagree amongst the four gospels, but it is clear these brothers responded in conversion. They were changed forever, as we can be also.
Most of us at some time in our lives will ave been feeling a bit left behind, that other persons are somehow smarter or better looking or catch all the breaks. Imagine being Andrew living all your life under your brother Peter, who becomes lead apostle and later co-bishop of Rome with Saint Paul. Andrew could have beeen discouraged but it doesn't show in his story. He was a faithful apostle who, after the death and resurrection of Christ, served as bishop over two cities in Greece and, after preaching for two days in a third city, Parthis, was martyred there by crucifixion on an x-shaped cross.
What do I take from his story? First, when called to Christ, he did not hesitate in responding to that call to live a life served for others. Then, despite the ascendancy of his brother, he was pleased to carry on in the work of a bishop, and having started he continued to the end, paying the ultimate price. One should not start the Christian enterprise unless ready to see it to the end, at any price.
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