Liturgical Readings for : Thursday, 30th November, 2023
11- 30- Feast of St Andrew, Apostle
Andrew, a disciple of John the Baptist, introduced his brother Simon to Jesus. All three were crucified for their faith .
FIRST READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans 10:9-18
Faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ.
If your lips confess that Jesus is Lord and if you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved. By believing from the heart you are made righteous; by confessing with your lips you are saved.
When scripture says: those who believe in him will have no cause for shame, it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: all belong to the same Lord who is rich enough, however many ask his help, for everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
But they will not ask his help unless they believe in him, and they will not believe in him unless they have heard of him, and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher, and they will never have a preacher unless one is sent, but as scripture says:
‘the footsteps of those who bring good news are a welcome sound’.
Not everyone, of course, listens to the Good News. As Isaiah says: ‘Lord, how many believed what we proclaimed?’
So faith comes from what is preached, and what is preached comes from the word of Christ.’
Let me put the question:
Is it possible that they did not hear? Indeed they did, in the words of the psalm,
their voice has gone out through all the earth, and their message to the ends of the world.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 18
Response Their word goes forth through all the earth.
Or Alleluia!
1. The heavens proclaim the glory of God and the firmament shows forth the work of his hands.
Day unto day takes up the story and night unto night makes known the message. Response
2. No speech, no word, no voice is heard yet their span extends through all the earth,
their words to the utmost bounds of the world. Response
Gospel Acclamation Lk 1: 28
Alleluia, alleluia!
Follow me , says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.
Alleluia
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 4:18-22
At once, leaving their nets, they followed him.
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen.
And he said to them,
‘Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.‘
And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
************************
Scripture Reflection 30th Nov. Saint Andrew, Apostle Matthew 4:18-22
Today’s gospel reading suggests that there were at least two sets of brothers among Jesus’ closest followers, Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew, whose feast we celebrate today, and James and his brother John. We are fortunate if members of our family share our faith and support it. However that is not often the case in families. Sometimes a family member has to plough a lonely furrow as a person of faith within a family. Jesus recognized that this was likely to happen when he declared that his coming would bring division within families, with some family members becoming his disciples and other family members proving hostile as a result.
Within the family of Peter and Andrew, even though we think of Peter as the leading disciple of Jesus, according to the Gospel of John, it was Andrew who brought Peter to Jesus, having first come to faith in Jesus himself. The portrayal of Andrew in the gospel of John shows how influential we can be in bringing others to faith, including members of our own family who may not seem initially well disposed to faith. If we have a living relationship with the Lord, and if we are seeking to grow in that relationship in response to the Lord’s call, the Lord can work powerfully through us in ways that will surprise us. The primary way the Lord brings people to faith in him is through other people of faith.
In the first reading, Saint Paul says that people will not come to faith in Jesus unless they have heard of him and they will not hear of him unless they get a preacher. We are all called to be preachers of the Lord through the living out of our faith in him. Then, the Lord will work through us, as he worked through Andrew, to bring others to him.
________________________________
The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd
