30/11 St ANDREW

On NOVEMBER 30th the Church remembers SAINT ANDREW THE APOSTLE.

Andrew was born in Bethsaida, on the shore of lake Galilee, and worked as a fisherman there until he was called by Jesus. He may have first been a disciple of St John the Baptist and became one of the first to follow Jesus before introducing his brother, Simon (Peter), to Christ.

There can often be a lot of competition between brothers, yet in St Andrew we see someone who after introducing his brother Peter to Jesus, faithfully served Christ until death despite his brother Peter receiving a special role in the Church. After the Resurrection he preached the Gospel in what is now Romania, Russia and Ukraine before being martyred in Greece on a cross tilted on its side (see Scottish flag).

He is also the patron saint of Scotland as, according to legend, some of his bones were buried where the town of St Andrew’s now stands. We ask his prayers today.

Let us pray...

We humbly implore your majesty, O Lord,

that, just as the blessed Apostle Andrew

was for your Church a preacher and pastor,

so he may be for us a constant intercessor before you.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Saint Andrew: Pray for us.