Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle, November 30, Wednesday

 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.

Reflections

The disciples' gestures are described with two significant verbs: the first disciples cast the nets, meaning that they are fishing in a way that can still be seen today without distancing themselves far from the shore. This is the way of life of the one  who never leaves the shallows, without ever taking a risk. Jesus , knows who they are,  but he calls them just the same. He calls them, because he plans to qualify them, for  a risky mission -- how contradictory. He seems to know that soon they would be fishing "for human souls" risking their lives. Both of them, became true fishers of souls, as they died martyrs' deaths. It makes us want to reflect on our own shallow lives, and how much more risk we need to take to live lives which are deeper and more meaningful, challenging the status quo and rich in content. 

Activity

As you reach the end of this month, in the season of Advent, shake off your "sleepy" nature, do something more meaningful and resourceful. 

Advent Resolution: 

Risk reconciling with someone, you found difficult all this while. 

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