Faith Daily | 30 November 2021

PRAYER of the DAY - Advent One

Almighty God,

give us grace that we may cast away the works of darkness

and put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life

in which your Son Jesus Christ came among us

in great humility,

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty

to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal;

through him who lives and reigns with you

and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: ST ANDREW’S DAY Matthew 4: 18-22

18 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 lake—for they were fishermen. 19And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ 20Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21As 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. 22Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

GOSPEL Reflection: Contributed by: Meredith Nicholls

Both Andrew and Peter had met Jesus before. Andrew who was a disciple of John the Baptist, had introduced his brother Simon (Peter) to Jesus after excitedly telling him 'We have found the Messiah.'

We read that both men left their fishing business immediately to take up the offer of being a disciple of this rabbi, demonstrating a strong personal commitment to him.

Their father may well have accepted the sacrifice as it was such a privilege for his sons to be invited to be followers of Jesus.

Do I find it a challenge when invited by Jesus to follow him into a new ministry, into unknown territory?

Andrew and Peter placed absolute trust in Jesus and a willingness to follow and learn.

They set us a wonderful example.

FINAL PRAYER: adapted from Isaiah 52: 7

Lord, we give thanks for the feet of so many messengers who announce peace, who bring good news, who announce salvation.

For all those who have witnessed before us, and for those to come we give thanks.

Help us to share our faith and hope to those seeking you.

Amen.