St. Andrew's Day

This past weekend, Scots gathered in celebration of their patron saint- St. Andrew.  Scots came together, in the kitchen for porridge- cooking competitions, in pubs for pints and whiskey, and attending ceildhs wearing kilts in community centres.  It’s a day to celebrate Scottish heritage and remember St. Andrew.

So who is St. Andrew and why is he so important?  Do you have an older brother who got you interested in sport and now you can’t stop playing? Why do you support Celtic or Man United?  Maybe because your siblings do to?  Or do you have a favorite place to play when you were younger?  It was like a secret hideout that your younger brother or sister showed you. You were so delighted to find it (even though you would never tell your little sister that), and it became the place you hung out at every day after school. 

One of the best things you can do as a sibling is show your brother or sister something incredible.  Something that has changed your life and something that you know will change theirs too.  Andrew was kind of like that to his brother Peter.  Andrew and Peter were fisherman, so they spent a lot of time together.  For a while Andrew had been learning from a man named John who taught him a lot about God.  One day when Andrew was in town with John, a man named Jesus walked by. John pointed to Jesus and said “Behold the Lamb of God.”  Or in Belfast “Aye, there’s the man I’ve been on about.  The one who is God.”  So Andrew and his friend walked towards Jesus.  Seeing them, Jesus invited them to “Come and see” who he was, and they spent the afternoon together. 

Later that day, Andrew was convinced that Jesus was the man who they had been waiting for.  The man who would save them as God’s chosen ones.  He went to tell his brother Peter about Jesus, and brought Peter to meet him.  The next day while fishing, Jesus came by and called Peter and Andrew and ten others to come “follow me.”  And they became Jesus disciples and later would tell the whole world about Jesus. 

Jesus doesn’t force us to follow him.  Rather he invites us to “come and see” who he is.  Then he calls us to follow him, and it’s only by following him that we truly come to understand who Jesus is as the Son of God.  Andrew saw who Jesus was and immediately went to share it with his brother Peter.  He wasn’t ashamed or worried about what Peter would think, instead he shared Jesus with his brother by inviting him to “come and see” as well.

St. Andrew’s day is on the 30^th of November, and Advent starts the Sunday after.  Advent is 4 weeks before Christmas that prepare our hearts for the coming of Jesus.  As we start thinking about the real meaning of Christmas during Advent, may we also remember to be like St. Andrew and tell others about Jesus too.  The birth of Jesus is the true meaning of Christmas, and we should be telling everyone about it.  Like Andrew, it’s the best “gift” we can give to our brothers, sisters, family, friends, and all that we meet.

Prayer: Jesus, I thank you for calling St. Andrew and giving us his example to follow.  This Advent can you help me remember that you are the true reason for Christmas, and to give me the courage to share that with others too.  Amen.