SATURDAY, THIRTY FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle
Rom 10: 9-18 Ps 19: 8-11 Mt 4: 18-22
DISCIPLESHIP: FAITH IN ACTION
St. Paul emphasizes today, the centrality of faith for salvation. He declares that ‘if we confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord …, we will be saved.’ This confession is not merely verbal but equally a heartfelt declaration of belief and trust in God’s saving power; and this faith needs to be put into action. Paul underscores that faith comes from hearing the message, the word of Christ. This faith is not simply bound to our hearts. Just as the apostles, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, could not stay hidden anymore, but rather went out into the square and preached Christ, we too are called into action by the promptings of the spirit. Once our hearts are convinced of our identity as God’s children and his messengers, we cannot but be voices echoing his message. Thus, we could say that Paul welcomes us to a faith that is active, living, and proclaimed.
The gospel presents the immediate and radical response of the first disciples to Jesus’ call. Simon Peter and Andrew, followed by James and John, leave their nets and boats to follow Jesus. Their response is a testament to the power of Jesus’ call and their unwavering faith. Their faith is active in that they believed that the call they received was from the Messiah, and were convinced thus to drop all their securities and follow Christ. Their action embodies the obedience and readiness.
Together, the readings remind us that faith and witness to it, are intertwined. True faith draws us to follow Jesus, leaving behind our old ways and embracing a new life dedicated to His mission. We are called into a faith that must be confessed and lived. As we reflect on these passages, we are invited to examine our lives. We are called to live our faith through acts of love and service—deeds that spring from our faith. Let us then, strive to be messengers of Christ’s word, living the good news in and through our lives.
Response: Their sound goes forth through all the earth.
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