Jesus Calls His First Disciples

Jesus calls Simon and Andrew as His first followers. Soon after, their fellow fishermen in Galilee followed.  It must have been a very attractive and strong call because they abandoned their nets and followed Jesus.

Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle

First Reading | Romans 10:9-18

Paul reflects on the hopeless situation where there is no one to proclaim the Gospel. We are privileged to have heard the Gospel and been given the opportunity to follow Jesus as His disciple. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel to those who have never heard it. Many have died as martyrs doing this mission in the past and many more will in the future. Let us pray for the grace to respond to this call.

⁹ Brothers and sisters: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. ¹¹ The Scripture says, No one who believes in him will be put to shame. ¹² There is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all, enriching all who call upon him. ¹³ For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

¹⁴ But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone to preach? ¹⁵ And how can people preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news! ¹⁶ But not everyone has heeded the good news; for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us? ¹⁷ Thus faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask, did they not hear? Certainly, they did; for Their voice has gone forth to all the earth and their words to the ends of the world.

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R: The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

⁸ The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) ⁹ The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) ¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) ¹¹ They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb. (R)

Gospel 

Jesus calls Simon and Andrew to follow Him as His disciples. Have you experienced God’s call for you? Was it as dramatic as this, or was it much more subtle? Whatever the case, we are all called to become living witnesses of the Good News and to share the gift of salvation with others.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.

Matthew 4:18-22

¹⁸ As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. ¹⁹ He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him. ²¹ He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, ²² and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.