November 30 is the feast day of Andrew, fisherman and apostle. Though he is often in the shadow of brother Peter and was the odd fisherman out in the sense that he was not part of the inner, inner circle (which I often thought must have been somewhat awkward as inner group consisted of his brother and his fellow Galilean fishermen James and John), Andrew has a special distinction: he was the first disciple to acknowledge Jesus. Hence it is rather appropriate that his feast often, but not always, falls at the beginning of Advent.
“All praise, O Lord for Andrew,
The first to welcome You,
Whose witness to his brother
Named you Messiah true.
May we, with hearts kept open
To you throughout the year,
Coness to friend and neighbor
Your advent ever near.”
