Today is the Feast Day of St. Andrew the Apostle
On this feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, let’s consider Andrew’s transformative encounter with Christ. As illustrated in a homily by St. John Chrysostom, Andrew’s immediate recognition and declaration, “We have found the Messiah,” reveals the power of Christ’s presence to instill profound faith and understanding in one brief meeting.
This exultant proclamation is no mere statement of fact. It encapsulates a revelation bursting forth from Andrew’s soul - that this man called Jesus is the Anointed One for whom Israel has long awaited. One glimpse of the Divine in a human face was enough. Christ’s love radiated outward and drew inward at that singular moment of connection, illuminating Andrew’s longing like daybreak overshadowing the night.
In Christ’s light, Andrew became a lamp to illuminate his brother, Peter. As St. John Chrysostom shows us, Andrew guided Peter to Jesus, letting his testimony pave the way for personal encounter. Faith’s flicker is passed gently, not by argument or dogma, but by opening pathways to experience divine love firsthand. Through selfless brotherhood, Andrew led Peter to watch the sunrise for himself.
We find in Andrew an exemplar of discipleship. That initial impulse of joy and wonder would not be contained - it had to be shared. The gift he found was multiplied in the giving. He shows us that an encounter with Christ compels the receiver toward generous self-giving. We do not hoard this treasure but give it freely.
We see this, too, in Peter’s readiness to heed his brother’s call. The hospitality of his response reminds us that the soil of the heart is prepared in mysterious ways. By God’s grace, a humble witness can nurture the seed of faith planted in another.
May God give us the grace to embody his spirit of discipleship—let us meet others where they are, inviting them through word and deed into transformative encounter with Christ. May we have courage to testify simply and joyfully to divine love, bravely naming the Messiah we have found by the light that fills our souls. By God’s grace, our little lamps will kindle the longing for love that waits, sleeping, in other hearts.
On this feast, we remember that the Christian calling is not anxious acquisitiveness, but gracious self-giving. Like Andrew, we rejoice to say “we have found the Messiah,” and to guide others toward His dawn.
A Homily by St. John Chrysostom
We have found the Messiah
After Andrew had stayed with Jesus and had learned much from him, he did not keep this treasure to himself, but hastened to share it with his brother. Notice what Andrew said to him: We have found the Messiah, that is to say, the Christ. Notice how his words reveal what he has learned in so short a time. They show the power of the master who has convinced them of this truth. They reveal the zeal and concern of men preoccupied with this question from the very beginning. Andrew’s words reveal a soul waiting with the utmost longing for the coming of the Messiah, looking forward to his appearing from heaven, rejoicing when he does appear, and hastening to announce so great an event to others. To support one another in the things of the spirit is the true sign of good will between brothers, of loving kinship and sincere affection.
Notice, too, how, even from the beginning, Peter is docile and receptive in spirit. He hastens to Jesus without delay. He brought him to Jesus, says the evangelist. But Peter must not be condemned for his readiness to accept Andrew’s word without much weighing of it. It is probable that his brother had given him, and many others, a careful account of the event; the evangelists, in the interest of brevity, regularly summarize a lengthy narrative. Saint John does not say that Peter believed immediately, but that he brought him to Jesus. Andrew was to hand him over to Jesus, to learn everything for himself. There was also another disciple present, and he hastened with them for the same purpose.
When John the Baptist said: This is the Lamb, and he baptizes in the Spirit, he left the deeper understanding of these things to be received from Christ. All the more so would Andrew act in the same way, since he did not think himself able to give a complete explanation. He brought his brother to the very source of light, and Peter was so joyful and eager that he would not delay even for a moment.
Mass Offertory Prayer
Grant us, almighty God, that through these offerings, which we bring on the feast day of Saint Andrew, we may please you by what we have brought and be given life by what you have accepted. Through Christ our Lord.
A Personal Prayer for the Intercession of St. Andrew
O Loving and Gracious God, who called St. Andrew to be an apostle and a herald of Your Son, Jesus Christ, imbue my heart with the same fervent love and zeal that inflamed his soul. As Andrew stayed with Your Son and learned from Him, grant me the grace to remain close to You, absorbing Your teachings and wisdom.
Lord, just as Andrew did not keep the treasure of Your presence to himself but shared it eagerly with his brother Peter, inspire me to share the joy and truth of Your love with those around me. Help me to speak of You not out of obligation, but out of a genuine overflow of the love I have experienced in my encounter with You.
Teach me, O God, to support others in their spiritual journeys, fostering a spirit of brotherhood, kinship, and sincere affection. May my words and actions always point others to You, just as Andrew pointed Peter to the Messiah.
Grant me, O Lord, a heart that is docile and receptive to Your word, like Peter, who hastened to You without delay. In my eagerness to know You more, let me not rely solely on human wisdom but lead me directly to You, the source of all truth and light.
Finally, Heavenly Father, as John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb who baptizes in the Spirit, empower me to recognize and bear witness to Your Son's presence in my life. Let me, like Andrew, bring others to the very source of light, so that they too may experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from knowing and following Christ.
Through the intercession of St. Andrew, may my life be a testament to Your unfailing love and grace. Amen.