On this first weekday of Advent, we honor the first called
Apostle of Jesus. The Byzantine Church honors the Apostle Saint Andrew with the
title: Protokletos, which means, “the
first called” because he was the first of the Apostles to be called and to
follow Jesus.
Though he was Jewish, his name Andrew, comes not from a
Hebrew word, but a Greek word: andreios,
meaning “brave” or the virtue of a warrior. The Apostle Andrew like a Warrior bravely followed
Christ, bravely spreading Christ’s Gospel, and bravely witnessing to Christ in
martyrdom.
Tradition says that he preached the gospel in Greece and in
the year 60 was crucified on an X shaped cross.
He hung on the cross for two days before he died, and it is said that he
continued to preach the Gospel while hanging from the cross.
The celebration of the Feast the Apostles outranks the
Advent weekday celebration, for, without the Apostles we wouldn’t have Advent.
Yet, we can still ask, what lessons particularly for Advent, can we learn from
this courageous martyred apostle?
How are we called to have ‘courage’ this advent? We are
certainly called to ‘bravely’ enter in to the spirituality of this season, to
not be afraid to put aside worldly matters in order to seek after earthly
matters. We’re certainly called to
fortify ourselves against all of the secularizing influences of this upcoming
month which seek to remove Christ from Christmas.
Like the apostle we are called to preach and witness to
Christ in our Advent gatherings: to engage the culture, to preach to the
culture.
And like the apostle we are called to die: to die to sin and
selfishness and impatience and laziness. We are called to die to fear that
keeps us from witnessing to Christ and keeps us from opening our hearts to
Christ in prayer and service.
In the reading from St. Paul, we heard, “If you confess with
your mouth that Jesus is Lord…you will be saved…how will others come to
believe, if they have never heard Christ preached?”” We are called to confess
Christ this Advent, like the Apostles—like Andrew, the brave fisherman.
Through the help and prayers of the Apostle Saint Andrew may
the Gospel of Christ be spread to every corner of the world and into every
heart for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
Ferial Collect: Keep us alert, we pray, O Lord our God, as
we await the advent of Christ your son, so that, when he comes and knocks, he
may find us watchful in prayer and exultant in
his praise. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
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