Monday 30 November 2020

Psalm 27

Background

Today is St Andrew’s Day. As well as being the patron saint of Scotland and Russia, Andrew is also the patron saint of Christian mission. He seems to have been part of the inner circle of Jesus’ closest disciples, yet he is a minor figure in the few gospel passages where he is mentioned. We know little about him apart from these brief mentions (and even they give rather different pictures), though later Christian legends described his missionary journeys and eventual death as a martyr. Here, though, Andrew is a martyr in its original sense of ‘witness’. He becomes part of a chain of witness that begins with John the Baptist’s recognition of Jesus (‘Look, here is the Lamb of God’) and results in Simon Peter joining the band of Jesus’ disciples. Notice the importance of words such as ‘hearing’, ‘seeing’, ‘following’, ‘staying’ and ‘saying’. They become key words in the way John’s Gospel tells the story of Jesus and his disciples.

The story of Andrew illustrates the truth that most of us come to faith through an encounter with someone who is willing to share their own experience of meeting Jesus Christ. That’s why Andrew is such a good model for Christian mission. We don’t see him speaking to crowds or devising clever strategies for sharing the gospel. He simply takes the initiative and lets those close to him know about something that is enriching and changing his life.

To Ponder:

• How did you first hear the story of Jesus? Who were the people who made that story real for you?
• How have you been part of a ‘chain of witness’? With whom might God now be inviting you to share your Christian experience?