November 30, 2021

St. Andrew

Mt 4: 18-22 

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father 

Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved. 

Fishing in the dark

Fishing in the dark. Is that what we are about in the darkening days of Advent?  Tish Harrison Warren, an Anglican priest from Pittsburgh, invites us to embrace the dark of Advent. We can hold off on the Christmas carols and parties for now and find in this season of darkness a place to feel and honor our grief at our suffering world and lives and hold out for the light.  We are called in Romans and in Matthew today to be people who can fish “in the dark” and catch people who need to see in us believable embodiments of God’s fidelity, patience, and compassion. St. Andrew, along with the others Jesus called, must have struggled to convince people of the Good News.  Let’s ask that they intercede for us to the Lord of Light as we fish in the dark.

—Fr. Robert Scullin, SJ, is currently on the staff of Manresa Jesuit Retreat House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. His previous work involved many years in urban parishes with minority populations.

Prayer 

Give us grateful hearts, Lord, and help us pass our blessings on!

—Fr. Robert Scullin, SJ