Thoughts for the Day

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

'Though Andrew is named among the apostles in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it is in John's gospel that most is learned about him. Andrew was a Galilean fisherman, mending his nets, when Jesus called him to follow him, which he promptly did. He then seems to have remained with Jesus until the end. He was there at the feeding of the five thousand and then later, when some Greeks in Jerusalem wanted to see Jesus, Philip brought them to Andrew who told Jesus of their desire. Tradition has him travelling on several missionary journeys and eventually being martyred by being crucified on an X-shaped cross. He became the patron saint of Scotland because of a legend that his relics had been brought there in the eighth century.' (from 'Exciting Holiness, Collects and Readings for Festivals')

I looked at Saint Andrew in greater detail a year ago (Thoughts November 23) so today I want to look at the Calling of Andrew and Peter. We read that Jesus walked by the Sea and called them to follow him, and they did so. It was probably not the first time he had met them since making his base in Capernaum for he would surely have bumped into them on the shore or at the synagogue, but this was a big decision, and questions about whether they could leave their homes and work would have been important. After all Peter had a mother-in-law, so he certainly had family.

The point is that the call from God is usually not a one-off. When we answered the call to be baptised or confirmed, that wasn't the end of it. Jesus continues to call us throughout our life. We can block the call out and refuse to listen to Him, after all God never twists our arms. But be warned that call will continue coming, and it won't be to the same task as when we were young, for it changes as we change. The call might be like a gentle knock, a whisper even, or a thundering bang on the door, but it will need answering, for it doesn't disappear until we answer it. At that point start praying for your future!

Collect

Almighty God,
who gave such grace to Your apostle Saint Andrew
that he readily obeyed the call of Your Son Jesus Christ
and brought his brother with him;
call us by Your holy Word,
and give us the grace to follow You without delay
and to tell the good news of Your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord.
Amen.