--- title: Daily Readings Reflection for 11/30/09 description: Daily Readings Reflection for 11/30/09 --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2009/11/30/daily-readings-reflection-for-113009#) # Daily Readings Reflection for 11/30/09 Nov 30, 2009 1:22:19 PM  |  by [Guest](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/guest) Reflection on Today’s Daily Readings by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM![](https://static.hsstatic.net/BlogImporterAssetsUI/ex/missing-image.png "More...") [Today’s Readings](http://www.usccb.org/nab/) Scripture: Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle and Martyr. November 30th, 2009. Lectionary # 684: Andrew, the brother of Peter, is the first apostle to be a follower of Jesus in John's Gospel. His name in Greek means "manly." It is he who serves as an interpreter for the Lord and the apostolic group when it comes to meeting the Gentiles. We remember that the area of commerce was called Galilee of the Gentiles in the Gospels. He is especially honored as the founder of the Christian faith in Greek speaking countries and is the patron of Greece. Both the Orthodox and Catholic (Byzantine) traditions venerate him in a special way as their patron. We remember how it was at Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called "Christianoi", that is, Christians. (see Acts 11:26). Andrew is not only prominent in the Fourth Gospel for introducing Simon Peter to Jesus but also for helping set up the event of the feeding of the five thousand for Jesus by pointing out the boy with loaves and fish. He appears later in announcing to Jesus that the "Greeks" are eager to meet and see Jesus. The "X" shaped cross is the symbol for the martyrdom of St. Andrew which is traditionally said to have taken place in Patros, Greece. This Cross is on the flag or lumber jack for Scotland who also is the patron of that country. The liturgical reading of the Gospel however is from the Gospel of Matthew where the first four disciples are called from the fishing boats to follow Jesus. They are Andrew, Peter, John, and James. Peter however has the prominent place in this Gospel. These four are never interrupted in their appearance as a group among the other eight. They are special to Jesus and accompany him on special occasions--at least, three of them do (Transfiguration, healing of a young girl, and at Gethsemane). Andrew always is the feast on which the beginning of Advent hinges. This may help us to think about the apostolic or missionary dimension to our Advent ponderings. We are always being motivated to think about others not just ourselves as we move through this sacred season of prayer. Love results from our dedication to the dimension of faith and hope. The first reading urges us to have faith in the word of God. Amen. Scripture: Lectionary # 176: First Monday in Advent. Isaiah 2:1-5. Palm 122:1-9. Matthew 8:5-11: Advent is a season for deepening our faith, hope, and love. These three habits of the heart and will unite us to the Trinity and are known as theological virtues. We start the ordinary first Monday of Advent with the theme of faith which was also announced in the feast of St.Andrew that is the harbinger of Advent. Matthew is giving us a vibrant and dynamic account of the centurion who is asking Jesus to save his son or his servant. Jesus marvels at the soldier's faith and proclaims that he represents the coming of others from the East and West into the kingdom of God. This refers to the universal call to salvation already seen in the Magi in Matthew's Gospel. They were from Persia or modern Iran. We Gentiles are thus part of the call of Jesus to have such faith as this centurion. We are not to make any odious comparisons with the Israelites for they are already called to be a part of the kingdom. For us this scene is a summons to develop our faith and to grow within it to its full maturity into the likeness of Christ. During the season of Advent we can atune ourselves to the words of the centurion that are kept alive in our ears by what we hear at each Eucharist, "O Lord, I am not worthy, that thou shouldst come under my roof." We add "Say but the word and my soul shall be healed (saved)." Since Advent is a season of faith, hope, and love we are called to think along the lines of our first beautiful reading from Isaiah. It is filled with hope and with a call to bring about peace by transforming our weapons into instruments of tilling and developing rather than weapons of war. We stream to the holy Mountain of Jerusalem called Zion and we take on the revelatory verse of Isaiah 2:3c: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law (instruction, revelation) and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The word Torah here means religious and moral instruction. The verse also means "...either the prophetic comment on the action of the nations' exhortation to one another beginning with "come ye". If the latter, the verb should be rendered "goeth forth."(Soncino Commentary, p.10 of Isaiah). All of us are called to be Advent people of hope and peace and are to walk in the light of the Lord. 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