Homily Feast of St. Andrew “A Manly Saint”
Homily Feast of St. Andrew “A Manly Saint”
When is the last time we shared our faith with someone who has no religion or church affiliation? As Catholics we usually do not do such things. We believe that we bring others to faith by example.
I have a boyhood friend who lived in our neighborhood. His family were not church goers. My mother was not real excited when I first started to play with him, but he was a persistent visitor. Gradually she grew to appreciate his basic goodness.
My friend, at times poked fun at my family’s Catholicism. He gradually started to attend a Protestant church on his own. He went off to the Air Force and when he came back to marry his Catholic fiancé, he announced that he had converted to Catholicism. He has been a wonderfully Catholic ever since. Today, his faith is helping him cope with a bad situation.
I like to think that his boyhood experience of being around our Catholic family helped lead him into the church. He witnessed us Sunday after Sunday attending church. He saw the religious symbols around our home. He was able to see that Catholicism was not such a strange religion.
The Apostle Andrew was not so subtle. He was a disciple of John the Baptist. He was introduced to Jesus. He was the one who brought his brother Peter to Jesus. After he had spent a day with Jesus he said to Peter, “We have found the Messiah.”
Andrew was a courageous missionary. Legend has it that he traveled far and wide preaching the Gospel. We can bet that some people did not want to hear what he had to say. He died on a X shaped cross which became a symbol incorporated into the British flag. Andrew is a name that means manly. A true man is not ashamed of their faith. Andrew learned to proclaim his faith without embarrassment.
Reflection Questions:
- Am I a passive disciple of Jesus? Do I concentrate on saving my own soul or am I concerned about the soul of each person I meet?
- When is the last time I struck up a conversation about faith with a stranger? Could that be something I try during Advent?
Dear Parishioners,
Yesterday we began the Advent Season. We often forget the Advent season is a season of penance. It is not as long or as stringent as Lent. It used to be a lot more penitential. But commercialism got in the way.
At one time Christians would fast three days a week during Advent and practice abstinence of various kinds. Gradually, all that fell by the wayside. Unfortunately, that was a great loss.
Since this Advent we will be forced to be less social. We will not be going to as many holiday parties where we gorge ourselves with food and drink. This may be an opportunity to pray a little more and to exercise the Advent virtues of patience, hope and peacemaking. Certainly, we need people who believe in these virtues as we live in our polarized society and seek encouragement as we continue to struggle with COVID.
Today would be a day to make some resolutions regarding our spiritual life.
May Our Lady and all the Angeles and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark