St. Andrew the Apostle: The First Among Disciples to Welcome Others

Matthew 4:18-22 (NRSV)

As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea-- for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fish for people." Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As 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. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

We commemorate today St. Andrew among the first Apostles called by Jesus.

Of St. Andrew, James Kiefer writes:

Most references to Andrew in the New Testament simply include him on a list of the Twelve Apostles, or group him with his brother, Simon Peter. But he appears acting as an individual three times in the Gospel of John. When a number of Greeks (perhaps simply Greek-speaking Jews) wish to speak with Jesus, they approach Philip, who tells Andrew, and the two of them tell Jesus (Jn 12:20-22). (It may be relevant here that both "Philip" and "Andrew" are Greek names.) Before Jesus feeds the Five Thousand, it is Andrew who says, "Here is a lad with five barley loaves and two fish." (Jn 6:8f) And the first two disciples whom John reports as attaching themselves to Jesus (Jn 1:35-42) are Andrew and another disciple (whom John does not name, but who is commonly supposed to be John himself -- John never mentions himself by name, a widespread literary convention). Having met Jesus, Andrew then finds his brother Simon and brings him to Jesus. Thus, on each occasion when he is mentioned as an individual, it is because he is instrumental in bringing others to meet the Saviour. In the Episcopal Church, the Brotherhood of Saint Andrew is devoted to encouraging personal evangelism, and the bringing of one's friends and colleagues to a knowledge of the Gospel of Christ.

Just as Andrew was the first of the Apostles, so his feast is taken to be the beginning of the Church Year. The First Sunday of Advent is defined to be the Sunday on or nearest his feast (although it could equivalently be defined as the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day).

Several centuries after the death of Andrew, some of his relics were brought by a missionary named Rule to Scotland, to a place then known as Fife, but now known as St. Andrew's, and best known as the site of a world-famous golf course and club. For this reason, Andrew is the patron of Scotland.

As Andrew was among the first Apostle to follow Jesus, Andrew was also among the first to invite others to join the company.  St. Andrew's life had been changed because of encountering Jesus.  His eyes were opened not only to God, but how God in Christ could impact others if only others were invited into the company of following Jesus.  He would have been someone who extended his hands along with other Disciples so that those whom they met would know that they no longer had to remain marginalized.   Just because society or the Church had set them aside not to be bothered with, did not mean that God had lost interest in them.

As we consider the meaning of St. Andrew as the first and someone who welcomed others into God's company, how are we attracting others ourselves?  The Church has been called by God to be a welcoming and inclusive place for all kinds of people.  The Episcopal Church has been making it more possible for LGBT individuals to be ordained not only as Priests, but also as Bishops.  The Standing Committee on Music and Liturgy has been working on creating same-sex marriage Liturgies for use in those places where marriage equality is the law.  Yet, we hear of arch-conservatives within the Anglican Communion who want The Episcopal Church to be removed from the Communion because we are including LGBTQ people.  The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and other churches are also feeling the pinch of congregations who disapprove of the welcoming, ordaining and marriage rites for LGBTQ people.

If the Church in the 21st Century is to be a welcoming and inclusive place, extending our hands and hearts to people of different sexual orientations, gender identities/expressions, races, languages, nationalities, religions and so forth is so important.  We cannot be isolated by Biblical literalism that erroneously condemns LGBTQ people and commits them to ex-gay groups to "heal the gay".  We cannot remain visually challenged to the needs of the poor, homeless, destitute, immigrants, the unemployed who are about to loose their unemployment benefits or challenged if we are to be the Church that extends our hands to everyone to welcome them into the company of following Jesus.   

St. Andrew the Apostle is the first among Apostles celebrated at the beginning of the Season of Advent so that we will know and understand our role in welcoming others into God's company as we prepare to help establish God's reign of justice and equality in the Church and society.  During Advent we are preparing to remember Christ's first coming as helping us to prepare for Christ's second coming at the end of time.   We do not know when that will be or even how it will happen.  In the meantime, we have the opportunity to be about the work of welcoming others into the company of a God who loves everyone unconditionally and with no exceptions.  A place where God transforms people into a people who love others without really caring about their sexual and/or gender diversity.    A place where we understand that God creates everyone differently, but loves us all as God's beloved with whom God is well-pleased.  

As we continue through Advent with today's commemoration of St. Andrew, we should pray that all of us be able to extend our hands to others to welcome them into the company of God's holy people.  

Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle Andrew that he readily obeyed the call of your Son Jesus Christ, and brought his brother with him: Give us, who are called by your Holy Word, grace to follow him without delay, and to bring those near to us into his gracious presence; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Collect for St. Andrew, Book of Common Prayer, page 237).