WEDNESDAY REFLECTION
Mid-week Reflection
2nd December 2020
This week we celebrated the feast of Saint Andrew, Principal Patron of Scotland. Barbados, Ukraine, Russia, Sicily, Greece, Cyprus and Romania also claim his patronage! The Chronicler, Nestor, tells us that he preached around the Black Sea, and also journeyed to Kiev and Novgorod and Russia. Sadly, he did not travel to Scotland, so how did it come about that we have such a strong claim on him? In the 10th century it was believed that relics of the disciple had been brought from Constantinople to the town of St Andrews. Legend has it that the Picts and Scots were to fight a dreadfully one-sided battle against the Angles. The Scots prayed and vowed that if by some miracle they won the battle then they would appoint St Andrew as their patron saint. On the morning of the battle, white clouds in the shape of an X appeared in the sky, and the Scots were victorious! John the Baptist, whose disciple Andrew had been, would have been pleased to see him become a disciple of the Lord. In fact, he was the first disciple of Jesus (Jn: 1.40). Jesus must have been doubly-delighted that Andrew brought his brother Peter with him. It was Andrew who pointed out the boy with the loaves and fishes. (Jn. 6:8-9) He was martyred on the noble wood of his holy X shaped cross in Achaia in Western Greece.
Let us Pray:
Lord God, you called Saint Andrew, your apostle, to preach the gospel and to guide your Church. We humbly pray that he may always plead for us in your presence. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Monsignor Monaghan
