SAINT ANDREW, APOSTLE (FEAST)

At once they left their nets and followed him. 

What is most striking about today’s Gospel is the immediacy with which Simon and Andrew left their nets—along with their livelihood and families—to follow Jesus. On this feast of St. Andrew, we might wonder: Did he and the other disciples go through some internal struggle first? Shouldn’t they have at least talked to their families about such a radical decision?

The Scriptures do not rule out that Andrew had deliberated in some way before dropping his nets to follow Jesus that day. He had probably seen Jesus in town before this moment and had heard his preaching. Maybe he was already thinking about joining him.

And yet the simplicity of Andrew’s response to Jesus on the shore that day teaches us something beautiful. Andrew saw in the face of Jesus something that made him say, “I want to be wherever you are.” Everything else paled in comparison.

Maybe we find this hard to relate to, but that’s okay. Because when we are faced with a big decision or we sense God calling us to take an important step, the Lord doesn’t mind it if we take our time. In fact, listening to God usually requires time and patience. That’s because we may need to seek the help and prayers of fellow believers who have wisdom and experience in discernment.

However, there may also be times, like the one described in this passage, when Jesus makes himself present to us and calls us by name in an especially powerful way. And in those times, we might so desire to be with him that we decide “at once” to follow him, as Andrew did (Matthew 4:20).

Read this Gospel passage again, but this time imagine yourself in Andrew’s place. You are hard at work next to Peter, casting your net into the sea. Then you see Jesus walking along the shoreline. He comes to a stop when he reaches you and calls your name. What is he asking you to do today? How will you respond?

“Jesus, thank you for calling me. St. Andrew, pray that I might become a faithful disciple like you.”

Romans 10:9-18
Psalm 19:8-11
Matthew 4:18-22