Feast Of St Andrew
On this feast of one of the first Apostles to be called to follow Jesus, I thought I would offer you this repost from last year. There is a little bit of history as well as the Christmas Novena Prayer of St Andrew. Maybe some of you have more spiritual discipline than I do for fulfilling this novena :)
In any case, let us ask this great Apostle and saint's intercession in helping us to answer Our Lord's call to each of us to follow Him.
St Andrew, pray for us!
St Andrew~The First Called
(from Nov. 30, 2009)
St Andrew was first a disciple of John the Baptist, but at John's words: "Behold the Lamb of God", Andrew knew that there was one greater than John that he should follow. When Jesus realized Andrew was following behind him, Jesus asked him: "Whom do you seek?" Andrew inquired of Jesus about where he lived; Jesus simply replied, "Come and see." In a relatively short time this disciple would come to recognize Jesus as Messiah. So it is that St Andrew became the first of Jesus' disciples. He would then tell his brother Peter.
Andrew and Peter would eventually give up their fishing business to follow Christ at all times.
It is believed that Andrew went to Greece after the Ascension of Our Lord. He would be given the crown of martyrdom by being put to death on a cross to which he was tied, not nailed. He would suffer for two days before dying, but continued to preach to those who gathered around him in those two days.
Andrew and Peter would eventually give up their fishing business to follow Christ at all times.
It is believed that Andrew went to Greece after the Ascension of Our Lord. He would be given the crown of martyrdom by being put to death on a cross to which he was tied, not nailed. He would suffer for two days before dying, but continued to preach to those who gathered around him in those two days.
Prayer To St Andrew
O glorious St. Andrew, you were the first to recognize and follow the Lamb of God. With your friend, St. John, you remained with Jesus for that first day, for your entire life, and now throughout eternity. As you led your brother, St. Peter, to Christ and many others after him, draw us also to Him. Teach us to lead others to Christ solely out of love for Him and dedication in His service. Help us to learn the lesson of the Cross and to carry our daily crosses without complaint so that they may carry us to Jesus. Amen.
St Andrew Christmas Novena
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.
(It is piously believed that whoever recites the above prayer fifteen times a day from the feast of St. Andrew (30th November) until Christmas will obtain what is asked.)
Imprimatur
+MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York
New York, February 6, 1897
+MICHAEL AUGUSTINE, Archbishop of New York
New York, February 6, 1897
Comments
Karinann,
About Novenas ... do people REALLY have to pray them, in this case 15 times a day? Doesn't God, and the Saints, wish us to talk to them in plain English, from the heart, rather than repeat words written by someone else long ago? Always confused me ... novenas.
God bless you.
One last thing before my reply here turns into a separate post- remember the Apostles, disciples along with Our Lady, held the first novena after the Ascension as they prayed for nine days and awaited the Holy Spirit on Pentecost.
They are not a must but are another trinket in the treasure of our beautiful faith.