AS HE WAS WALKING BY THE SEA OF GALILEE

Rm 10,9-18; Ps 18; Mt 4,18-22
30 NOVEMBER

The Gospel according to John presents Andrew as the first missionary of Christ the Lord. He is the first one that speaks of Jesus and leads to Jesus. The evangelizing mission is not saying a Word of truth or of Him, but it is bringing to Christ truth and light, that in him, those who are converted to his Word, make truth and light. One says Christ and he brings to Christ.

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated Anointed). Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Kephas” (which is translated Peter) (Jn 1,35-42).

Andrew is also the One who, at the time of the multiplication of the loaves, tells Jesus Lord that in the crowd there is a boy with five loaves of barley and two fish. First he helps Peter by bringing him to Christ. Now he helps Christ in the revelation and manifestation that he will have to give to his people. The one of Andrew is a sublime mission: always helping.

When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred days’ wages worth of food would not be enough for each of them to have a little (bit).” One of his disciples, Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass in that place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.” So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat (Jn 6,5-13).

Andrew helps Peter, helps Christ, helps Philip; by helping Philip he helps the Greeks who want to know Jesus. Here is the mission of the disciple of Jesus: always helping. Helping man to go to Christ, helping Christ to go to man.

Now there were some Greeks among those who had come up to worship at the feast. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus (Jn 12,20-22).

After all, this is the mission of every disciple of Jesus: being of help to God and to man. One is of help to man by leading man to God through Christ Jesus. One is of help to God by bringing God, through Christ Jesus, to every man.

As he 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.

God needs to be helped. Without human help, his work of salvation and redemption is not accomplished. The whole of humanity lies submerged in its desire for God.

Help of Christians, Angels and Saints ensure that man meets God and God man for us.