FISH STORY

“Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men.” —Matthew 4:19

After Andrew met Jesus, “the first thing he did was seek out his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah!’ ” (Jn 1:41) With his first cast, Andrew caught not just a man but the fisher of men and women, Simon Peter. Andrew, on his first try at evangelism, caught the man who would later catch three thousand on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41). Moreover, that was just the beginning. Because of this exceptional start, Andrew may have gotten a reputation for evangelism. When some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, “Philip went to tell Andrew” (Jn 11:22), as if Andrew were the expert in evangelism.

The Church introduces us to Andrew today so we may begin this Church year focused on our evangelistic responsibilities. Is there anyone you’re called to tell about Jesus? Have you neglected to share the good news because of laziness or fear? Don’t put it off for another day, hour, or minute. Right now, be an Andrew; tell a Peter about Jesus. “How can they believe unless they have heard of Him?” (Rm 10:14)

Prayer: Father, may I spend this Advent fishing for men and women.
Promise: “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” —Rm 10:9
Praise: “The first thing [Andrew] did was seek out his brother Simon and tell him, ‘We have found the Messiah!’ ” (Jn 1:41)

Feast of the Day

November 30

St. Andrew

.Andrew was St. Peter’s brother, and was called with him. “As [Jesus] was walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is now 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” (Matthew 4:18-20).
John the Evangelist presents Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist. When Jesus walked by one day, John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus. “Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’ They said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which translated means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come, and you will see.’ So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day” (John 1:38-39a).

Little else is said about Andrew in the Gospels. Before the multiplication of the loaves, it was Andrew who spoke up about the boy who had the barley loaves and fishes (see John 6:8-9). When the Gentiles went to see Jesus, they came to Philip, but Philip then had recourse to Andrew (see John 12:20-22).

Legend has it that Andrew preached the Good News in what is now modern Greece and Turkey and was crucified at Patras.

Comment:

As in the case of all the apostles except Peter and John, the Gospels give us little about the holiness of Andrew. He was an apostle. That is enough. He was called personally by Jesus to proclaim the Good News, to heal with Jesus’ power and to share his life and death. Holiness today is no different. It is a gift that includes a call to be concerned about the Kingdom, an outgoing attitude that wants nothing more than to share the riches of Christ with all people.

Quote:

“…[T]he Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, ‘It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word’” (Acts 6:2-4).

Patron Saint of:

Fishermen
Greece
Russia
Scotland

THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

“Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit.” —Luke 10:21

God’s plan, including His plan for Christmas, is hidden from the learned and the clever, and revealed to the merest children (Lk 10:21). This does not mean that Christmas is for kids. “Merest children” are not people young in age; they are adults who completely depend on the Lord and have become “merest children” by the Spirit (see Mt 18:3). Thus, Christmas is neither for kids nor adults, but for people of any age who have become new creations, transformed by the Holy Spirit. The true Christmas spirit is the Holy Spirit. Christmas is for those living in the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit of Christmas is “a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord” (Is 11:2). It is primarily a Spirit of justice. If we have and give the true Christmas Spirit, the poor and afflicted will be judged with justice (Is 11:4). If we have the true Christmas Spirit, we are leading people to Christ, Who will then give these people His heart for the poor and for justice.

The true Christmas spirit is the Holy Spirit leading us to depend totally on Jesus and to give justice to the poor and oppressed. The true Christmas spirit is that of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph at the manger in Bethlehem.

Prayer: Father, may I unlearn the worldly Christmas and learn the real one.
Promise: “Blest are the eyes that see what you see. I tell you, many prophets and kings wished to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” —Lk 10:23-24
Praise: Rather than run around preparing for a worldly Christmas, Anna waits in quiet and prayer for the coming of her Savior.

The Incarnation

From a sermon by St Gregory Nazianzen, bishop (329-390 AD)
The marvel of the Incarnation

The very Son of God, older than the ages, the invisible, the incomprehensible, the incorporeal, the beginning of beginning, the light of light, the fountain of life and immortality, the image of the archetype, the immovable seal, the perfect likeness, the definition and word of the Father: he it is who comes to his own image and takes our nature for the good of our nature, and unites himself to an intelligent soul for the good of my soul, to purify like by like. He takes to himself all that is human, except for sin. He was conceived by the Virgin Mary, who had been first prepared in soul and body by the Spirit; his coming to birth had to be treated with honour, virginity had to receive new honour. He comes forth as God, in the human nature he has taken, one being, made of two contrary elements, flesh and spirit. Spirit gave divinity, flesh received it.

He who makes rich is made poor; he takes on the poverty of my flesh, that I may gain the riches of his divinity. He who is full is made empty; he is emptied for a brief space of his glory, that I may share in his fullness. What is this wealth of goodness? What is this mystery that surrounds me? I received the likeness of God, but failed to keep it. He takes on my flesh, to bring salvation to the image, immortality to the flesh. He enters into a second union with us, a union far more wonderful than the first.

Holiness had to be brought to man by the humanity assumed by one who was God, so that God might overcome the tyrant by force and so deliver us and lead us back to himself through the mediation of his Son. The Son arranged this for the honour of the Father, to whom the Son is clearly obedient in all things. The Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for the sheep, came in search of the straying sheep to the mountains and hills on which you used to offer sacrifice. When he found it, he took it on the shoulders that bore the wood of the cross, and led it back to the life of heaven.

Christ, the light of all lights, follows John, the lamp that goes before him. The Word of God follows the voice in the wilderness; the bridegroom follows the bridegroom’s friend, who prepares a worthy people for the Lord by cleansing them by water in preparation for the Spirit.

We need God to take our flesh and die, that we might live. We have died with him, that we may be purified. We have risen again with him, because we have died with him. We have been glorified with him, because we have risen again with him.

CLIMBING ADVENT MOUNTAIN

“Come, let us climb the Lord’s mountain.” —Isaiah 2:3

Advent is a time for mountain-climbing. It is climbing with all nations (Is 2:2) the highest mountain so that the Lord “may instruct us in His ways, and we may walk in His paths” (Is 2:3). Advent is being like Moses. We climb Mt. Sinai, receive the Ten Commandments, descend radiant with God’s glory, and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus (see Ex 19:2ff). As more and more people climb God’s holy mountain this Advent to hear and share His word, “the earth shall be filled with knowledge of the Lord, as water covers the sea” (Is 11:9). Then “they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again” (Is 2:4).

This Advent, climb the Lord’s mountain. Receive and proclaim the Word of God. Give the world the true peace of Christmas. This Advent, be a peacemaker (Mt 5:9), minister of God’s Word, and mountain-climber. From the heights of the mountain, shout: “Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth” (Lk 2:14, our transl).

Prayer: Father, make me a guide for spiritual mountain-climbers before, during, and after the climb.
Promise: “I am not worthy to have You under my roof. Just give an order and my boy will get better.” —Mt 8:8
Praise: Broken by ill health and bankruptcy, Arlene holds to God as the Center of her being.

Feast of the Day

November 28
St. James of the Marche
(1394-1476)

.Meet one of the fathers of the modern pawnshop!
James was born in the Marche of Ancona, in central Italy along the Adriatic Sea. After earning doctorates in canon and civil law at the University of Perugia, he joined the Friars Minor and began a very austere life. He fasted nine months of the year; he slept three hours a night. St. Bernardine of Siena told him to moderate his penances.

James studied theology with St. John of Capistrano. Ordained in 1420, James began a preaching career that took him all over Italy and through 13 Central and Eastern European countries. This extremely popular preacher converted many people (250,000 at one estimate) and helped spread devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. His sermons prompted numerous Catholics to reform their lives and many men joined the Franciscans under his influence.

With John of Capistrano, Albert of Sarteano and Bernardine of Siena, James is considered one of the “four pillars” of the Observant movement among the Franciscans. These friars became known especially for their preaching.

To combat extremely high interest rates, James established montes pietatis (literally, mountains of charity) — nonprofit credit organizations that lent money at very low rates on pawned objects.

Not everyone was happy with the work James did. Twice assassins lost their nerve when they came face to face with him. James was canonized in 1726.

Comment:

James wanted the word of God to take root in the hearts of his listeners. His preaching was directed to preparing the soil, so to speak, by removing any rocks and softening up lives hardened by sin. God’s intention is that his word take root in our lives, but for that we need both prayerful preachers and cooperative listeners.

Quote:

“Beloved and most holy word of God! You enlighten the hearts of the faithful, you satisfy the hungry, console the afflicted; you make the souls of all productive of good and cause all virtues to blossom; you snatch souls from the devil’s jaw; you make the wretched holy, and men of earth citizens of heaven” (Sermon of St. James).

HEART-RENDING

“Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down!” —Isaiah 63:19

When we see gross injustices in our society, we cry out for God to intervene. When we see people literally getting away with murder, even of infants in the womb, we beg God to put a stop to our world’s perversity and wickedness. We pray in desperation: “Oh, that You would rend the heavens and come down, with the mountains quaking before You” (Is 63:19). We pray for the Lord to come accompanied by an earthquake or two. That ought to straighten out the sinners in our world.

The Lord has not answered our prayers for an intimidating, sin-stopping intervention. He will not answer this prayer until He appears “a second time not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him” (Heb 9:28). Instead of stopping our sins by quaking and shaking us up, the Lord decided to become human and die on the cross for us. He came in obscurity, simplicity, and humility. He came not to paralyze us by fear, but to love us into life. He will not usually stop our sins and then change our hearts. Instead, He prefers to stop our sins by changing our hearts. He usually works from inside out. He is not out to control us, but convert us. Therefore, Jesus allows terrible things to go on in our world, while He patiently calls us to receive His love and to love Him.

Prayer: Father, don’t rend the heavens, but give me the grace to rend my heart in repentance (see Jl 2:13).
Promise: “Do not let Him come suddenly and catch you asleep. What I say to you, I say to all: Be on guard!” —Mk 13:36-37
Praise: O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel! Come, Christ the King. You are worthy of all our praise!

The Coming of Christ

From a catechetical instruction by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, bishop (318 – 386 AD)
On the twofold coming of Christ

We do not preach only one coming of Christ, but a second as well, much more glorious than the first. The first coming was marked by patience; the second will bring the crown of a divine kingdom.

In general, whatever relates to our Lord Jesus Christ has two aspects. There is a birth from God before the ages, and a birth from a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future. At the first coming he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. At his second coming he will be clothed in light as in a garment. In the first coming he endured the cross, despising the shame; in the second coming he will be in glory, escorted by an army of angels. We look then beyond the first coming and await the second. At the first coming we said: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. At the second we shall say it again; we shall go out with the angels to meet the Lord and cry out in adoration: Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

The Savior will not come to be judged again, but to judge those by whom he was judged. At his own judgment he was silent; then he will address those who committed the outrages against him when they crucified him and will remind them: You did these things, and I was silent.

His first coming was to fulfill his plan of love, to teach men by gentle persuasion. This time, whether men like it or not, they will be subjects of his kingdom by necessity. The prophet Malachi speaks of the two comings. And the Lord whom you seek will come suddenly to his temple: that is one coming.

Again he says of another coming: Look, the Lord almighty will come, and who will endure the day of his entry, or who will stand in his sight? Because he comes like a refiner’s fire, a fuller’s herb, and he will sit refining and cleansing.

These two comings are also referred to by Paul in writing to Titus: The grace of God the Savior has appeared to all men, instructing us to put aside impiety and worldly desires and live temperately, uprightly, and religiously in this present age, waiting for the joyful hope, the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Notice how he speaks of a first coming for which he gives thanks, and a second, the one we still await.

That is why the faith we profess has been handed on to you in these words: He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Our Lord Jesus Christ will therefore come from heaven. He will come at the end of the world, in glory, at the last day. For there will be an end to this world, and the created world will be made new.

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HAPPY OLD YEAR!

“I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its sheath of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.” —Daniel 7:15

Today is the last day of the Church year. As we look back over the year or years, we may be confused and even disappointed. The writer of the book of Daniel assures us that the Lord knows beforehand all that has happened or will happen (Dn 7:16). The Lord is in control. Out of respect for our freedom and in His infinite wisdom, He allows things to happen which are not His perfect will. Nevertheless, the Lord is the Lord of all. He will make “all things work together for the good of those who love” Him (Rm 8:28).

We need not figure out the past, but we do need to learn from the past, including this past year. We need to thank the Lord for last year and then leave it behind. As we end this year, we should “give no thought to what lies behind but push on to what is ahead” (Phil 3:13). Our “entire attention” should be “on the finish line” — “life on high in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:14).

When we leave the past behind, however, we should not be running away from unfinished business. We should have repented of every sin committed, forgiven every offense, been healed of every hurt, obeyed every one of the Lord’s commands, and answered every one of His calls.

On this last day of the Church year, let’s close the year. Go to Confession. Do today what you’ve been putting off all year. Make that visit or phone call. End finished. Start beginning. Happy new year!

Prayer: Father, thank You for life, years, love, and You.
Promise: “Be on guard lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares. The great day will suddenly close in on you like a trap.” —Lk 21:34
Praise: Attending a friend’s funeral brought Peter back to Church and back to Life.