red rover red rover let Andy come over

Romans 8 10:9-18; Ps 19 The Judgments of the Lord are true and all of them just; Mt 4:18-22

Today is the Feast of St. Andrew the Apostle.  He was the first one called to follow Jesus.

Think about being called to follow Jesus.

When did yo first experience a calling, an invitation to surrender your life and entrust it to Christ?

How do you live that calling, that invitation out in your life?

As St. Paul reminds us in the first reading, "And how can they hear without someone to preach? And how can can people preach unless they are sent?  as it is written, 'how beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'"


How are your feet?  What news do you bring to your family, your job, your  gatherings, your friends, your life?

As St. Paul reminds us, "not every has heeded the good news."

Indeed this is true.  But who is responsible for making the news available to others?

Surely not just the clergy!  We all have a part to play.  The problem currently it only a few play the part given them by the call of Christ.

Many of us stand idly by with our hands in our pockets watching it all unravel before us.  At some point we have to jump in and get with it.  IT is our witness, each of us, that is lacking in the program of proclaiming the faith.

Our silence is deafening.  Our voice needs to be rediscovered.  Our witness needs to sharpen.

Remember when we are all young and on the playground.  Remember how loud we could be.
Remember playing "Red Rover" and yelling at the top of our lungs, "RED ROVER, RED ROVER, LET, (insert name here) COME OVER!"

How exciting; how exhilarating!  We need to rediscover that energy and redistribute it in our witness, our lives.

RED ROVER!  RED ROVER! LET ANDY COME OVER!  St. ANDY that is.
We need his intercession so that we can get on with fulfilling our duty.

St. Andrew upon hearing the call went to get his brother.  HE spread the message.  HE made it known.

"at once they left their nets and followed him."  Fishers of men they became.

Fishers of men its who we are called to be!

Like a game of tag, it is our time to reach forth no longer sparingly and touch someone with our witness of faith.  Imagine being on the play ground.  Imaging that exhilaration and energy.  Pray for strength to be that witness.  Do not get discouraged, no, rather GET LOUD!