RBWords

     The very word "apostle" comes from a Greek verb which means to send someone to do something.  Even before the event of Pentecost, the apostles were preaching but they were still a very small group and not very secure.  At the same time, they had responded to the person of Jesus who called to them in their usual occupation of fishing and followed him.  The makeup of the group changed only slightly - Judas Iscariot left, and Matthias joined, but the Twelve came to be foundation of the movement that became Christianity.  That is why we consider our faith to the beneficiary of their preaching, even after all these centuries.  Andrew is one of the original Twelve.

     The gospel scripture for today tells the story of Jesus' call to four (two sets of brothers) of the original twelve: Peter and Andrew, James and John.  I rather like the story in the Gospel According to John that shows Andrew as a disciple of John the Baptist and responds to John's statement about Jesus: "Behold, the lamb of God."  That leads Andrew to "follow" Jesus to where Jesus was "staying."  (The words in quotes are important.)  Jesus asks them the question that all of us need to answer:  "What are you looking for?"   Andrew tells Peter, etc. etc.  It may well be that this encounter would explain why they later on left their boats and nets without further ado, but that I will leave to the scholars.  

     We owe much to that original Twelve.  But I am grateful to Andrew for his curiosity that led him to first try to unobtrusively "follow" Jesus, only to have Jesus turn and confront him with, "What are you looking for?"  It's THE question for every disciple of Jesus!  AMEN