Reading 1
Rom 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.
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11
Responsorial PsalmR. (10)
The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
or:
R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.
Gospel
Mt 4:18-22
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father
and followed him.
Meditation: Matthew 4:18-22
St. Andrew
They left their boat and their father and followed him. (Matthew 4:22)
Have you noticed how face-to-face communication is becoming less common? We can spend a whole day e-mailing, texting, and talking on the phone. Web based social networks like Facebook and MySpace keep us in touch without ever touching. Some of us can even work from the comfort, and isolation, of home and rarely have the chance to interact. Even online shopping can keep us away from merchants who may be just around the corner from us.
All of this technology certainly does make life more convenient. But how diferent it is to the experience of Andrew and Simon Peter!
While they are fishing, the two brothers meet Jesus in person. Actually, this is not the first time they had seen him. John the Baptist had introduced Andrew to him earlier, and Andrew ended up spending an entire day with Jesus (John 1:29,39). Andrew then brought Simon Peter to meet him too. That encounter set the stage for today’s Gospel reading, when Jesus calls the two men to follow him. And they are so moved by Jesus that they leave everything behind and go with him.
As we celebrate St. Andrew today, let’s remember that this kind of direct encounter is at the heart of evangelization. In the words of Pope John Paul II, evangelization “is not a matter of merely passing on doctrine, but rather of a personal and profound meeting with the Savior.” We can’t simply hope that those around us will absorb enough information about Christ to become his disciples. We need to introduce them to Jesus.
Bringing someone to Christ may not be as challenging as you think. Of course, we can pray for people and tell them about God’s love. But sometimes we make more progress with simple expressions of love that are reflections of the Lord. Listening can be just as effective as prayer. A warm embrace can speak more powerfully than a Scripture passage. An invitation to lunch can have a greater impact than a logical presentation of the truths of the gospel.
Kindness, generosity, compassion—These are the keys that unlock the treasures of the gospel!
“Lord, send me to someone who needs your message of salvation today. Help me to share simply about the wonderful work you have done in my life!”
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