CALLED TO BE FISHERS OF MEN - 11/30/22 (Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle)

Matthew 4:18–19

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.”  

For the full readings, click here: 

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/113022.cfm

Blessed Feast of St. Andrew! St. Andrew, the brother of St. Peter, was an ordinary fisherman. But, it changed when our Lord Jesus saw them. From being fishermen, Jesus invited them to be "fishers of men", or those whom He chose to bring more people to Him. Our Lord saw their potential, and He revealed  their mission to them. Jesus said, "Come after Me, and I will make you fishers of men." It's interesting to see that before they could be fishers of men, they need to come to Jesus. After all, St. Andrew, like other apostles, became a disciple of Christ before he preached as an apostle. We are all called by Jesus to come after Him. This means that we should follow the way of Christ and believe in Him. Those who have faith in Jesus will be saved. However, this doesn't mean that intellectual belief is enough. Those believing in our minds the truths about Jesus and the Church are important, authentic faith is manifested when we do good works and obey the will of God. To come after Jesus means that we imitate His example in our own lives. Let's always take the opportunity to reflect on the Gospel, not just for the sake of information, but for us to be like Christ in this world. And, meditating on the Gospel and the Scriptures does not end after closing the Bible. Rather, we continuously ponder on the life of Christ by rejecting occasions of sins and temptations to sins such as pride, anger, lust and others. 

Being a disciple of Christ was a good foundation for St. Andrew as he continued in his ministry as an apostle and bishop of the Catholic Church. It is by being a true disciple that one can lead souls to our Lord. How can this be possible? It's because by persevering in holiness, we can be models to many people with the hope that they can see Christ in us. By cooperating with God's grace, we can be instruments by our Lord to touch the hearts of those who do not yet believe in Him. Our spiritual life should be a real expression of how God transforms us. This authentic encounter with Christ is truly more convincing than words and arguments. At the same time, let's not forget about the power of our prayers for the conversion of sinners and for their intentions. We do not have the power to change people, but we can cooperate with God's work of salvation by speaking to our Lord of people who are in need of His mercy. Let's follow Christ and accept His calling for us to be fishers of men. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic

Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle:

https://mycatholic.life/saints/saints-of-the-liturgical-year/november-30--st-andrew-apostle/

Ultimate Catholic Parents Guide:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ls6IcexZAls

Summary and Defense of Catholic Teachings:

https://www.catholic.com/tract/pillar-of-fire-pillar-of-truth

Examination of Conscience and Guide to Sacrament of Confession:

https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/examination-of-conscience/