Wanting more / having it all

Andrew did not have much free time. He and his brother ran a small business together and the work kept him pretty busy. Yet he felt the need for more.

He was a devout young man, whose interest in religion extended beyond the weekend, yet he felt the need for more.

For one thing, there was a decided lack of good preaching in the area where he lived.

Then one day he heard preaching like he had never heard before, from a man whose holiness and fervor for God blazed like fire. Andrew went to listen to him every chance he had.

Now Andrew felt that he was on track: he no longer felt the need for more.

Or did he?

The question stuck somewhere in the back of his brain, but he put it away and continued to drink in the marvelous preaching of God’s word.

One day they both happened to be standing outside with one or two others. Andrew couldn’t remember much about what they were doing, but suddenly the marvelous preacher, whom the whole country knew as John the Baptist, pointed and said:

“Behold the Lamb of God!”

Almost without thinking, Andrew walked over to the man to whom John was pointing.

“What are you looking for?” the man asked.

Andrew didn’t know what to say, but he knew he wanted more.

“Teacher, where do you live?”

The teacher said, “Come and see.”

Andrew went and saw. He and his brother Simon eventually left their fishing business and followed Jesus of Nazareth, all the way to their own deaths on their own crosses.

St. Andrew, Apostle and Martyr of Jesus Christ, had it all.

The Feast of St. Andrew is celebrated on this day.

(adapted from an earlier post)