the transparent saint
"Come after Me and I will make you fishers of men." —Matthew 4:19
St. Andrew seems to have been a transparent disciple. Andrew has no identity in the Gospels apart from Jesus. He is always portrayed as either following Jesus or bringing others to Jesus.
The top group of apostles in the gospel are always Peter, James, John, and Andrew. Peter, James, and John are portrayed in the Gospels with lofty ambition or grandiose goals (e.g. Mk 10:35ff; Lk 22:33), but never Andrew. Although he was a privileged apostle with special access to Jesus (see e.g. Mk 13:3), he was apparently content to humbly and transparently bring others to Jesus without drawing attention to himself (see Jn 1:40-42).
Once the apostle Philip was approached by a group of Greeks who wanted to see Jesus. Instead of bringing them directly to Jesus, Philip brought them to Andrew (Jn 12:20-22). Philip apparently was certain that if he could just get the Greeks to Andrew, then Andrew would be able to bring them straight to Jesus.
The upcoming season of Advent is a time of preparing to meet Jesus. Many people don't know Jesus, but they do know us. We can be another Andrew for them. Like Andrew, we have been given special access to the Lord (see Eph 2:18; 3:12; Rm 5:2). Bring people to Jesus this Advent.
Prayer: Jesus, may I be so transparent to You that when others look at me, they see You.
Promise: "If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." —Rm 10:9
Praise: St. Andrew is said to have preached Jesus even as he was being crucified on an X-shaped cross.
Reference: (This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
(During this time of Advent reflection, consider how you can get closer to the Lord. See www.presentationministries.com to see how we can help you in this endeavor.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 6, 2010
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