Beautiful Feet

 ~~~ Feast of Saint Andrew ~~~
~~~ Romans 10:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ Matthew 4:18-22 ~~~

 

...it is written,
How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news! 

 

Jesus walked along the seashore where he called his first apostles...
Peter and Andrew. These two brothers were fishermen.
They shared much of their time together every day.
Now Jesus is calling them both to follow him.
Jesus invites them to walk along side of him.
To walk with him as he brings the good news to the whole world.

When these two began following Jesus they probably had no idea
 that they too would be sharing the good news.
They did not realize that day the they would be left
 to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Those who have gone a mission trip
may be able to relate to this verse better than the rest of us.
 I have been told that the joy is evident on the
faces of the villagers when the missionaries arrive.

Just seeing that you have come to their little village because
you love the Lord raises them up.

A missionary walks in the footsteps of the Lord;
 their presence brings joy to the locals.

 

 

 Walking through the streets of a town brings you closer
to the people who live there.

You get a sense of who the people are who live there.
 

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 

 

 There is a whole chain of events that take place to close the circle of faith.
Someone must be sent to preach...
someone must there to listen...
once they have heard they must believe...
now the new believers can turn to the Lord for their needs.

Faith becomes then the grounding factor for future needs.
For those who hear will experience a
refreshing of their soul;
 a rejoicing of their heart;
 and an enlightening of their eye.

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

 The words of the Lord keep our feet firmly planted
on the ground giving us the stability we need
 to continue bring the good news.

Dirty, smelly, calloused, tired and worn, Jesus had the most beautiful feet.
His feet carried him into places where he could heal.
His beautiful feet carried him to where he could do the most good...
to where he could bless people, often unexpectedly.
 

 Saint Andrew, pray for us.

Blessings come in bringing the good news to others...
We too can have beautiful feet.

Words of Spirit and Life

~~~ Feast of Saint Andrew, the Apostle ~~~

 

~~~ Romans 10:9-18 ~~~ Psalm 19 ~~~ Matthew 4:18-22 ~~~

 

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be enriched.

Jesus meets you where you are and begins to make your life more fruitful.

Paul says the Lord sends some to preach...through the preaching his words will be heard...if his words are heard then people

will come to believe...if people believe they will call on him.

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!

 

When the Lord enters into your life you will never be the same.

Faith comes from what is heard and what is heard

comes through the words of Christ.

 

Andrew heard the words from the mouth of Jesus and immediately he believed.

 

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

 

When you hear the words of the Lord; the life you knew before is forever changed.

Consider the Blessed Mother, Mary; when she heard the words

of the Lord her life was immediately changed.

 

The day Peter and Andrew were called by the Lord they were going about

their normal daily routine. They were working their family fishing business.

They were respected contributing members of the community.

They were loved by their families.

They were most likely happy with their productive lives.

 

 

 

Imagine if today a stranger came up to you and said these very same words...

"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

 

Would you be willing to leave all that you knew to follow a stranger?

Sitting here today I can honestly say I probably would not

immediately walk away from where I am.

 

When Jesus calls us he considers our talents and gifts;

 enriching them for his use.

We are called to leave behind our former ways.

We are called to come follow him.

We are invited to something better without knowing

what it will be or how it will manifest itself.

  

 On this last day of November and the end of this section of Ordinary Time

we are given the images of beautiful feet bringing the word of the Lord to others.

 

We are also reminded that receiving Christ into your life is accompanied by your desire to be enriched...to be brought into a new life...a new purpose for living.

 

The words of the Lord are Spirit and Life...

a new life; for he makes all things new.

The Spirit of the Lord enriches our life each and every day.