Commentary on the Gospel of
Andrew’s Example
As Pope Benedict XVI observed, the very name of apostle Andrew points to certain cultural openness in his family, for his name is not Hebrew but Greek. We find this openness characterizing his very nature. He was a seeker of Truth, as is evident from him being a disciple of John the Baptist. When John points to Jesus as the Lamb of God, he is willing to follow Jesus and stay with him. Later, he goes to his brother Simon (Peter) to share the good news and bring him to Jesus (cf. Jn 1:40-43). At the multiplication of loaves, Andrew is the one who notices the boy with a few bread and fish, and alerts Jesus about him (cf. Jn 6:8-9). When some Greeks wanted to meet Jesus, Andrew, together with Philip, leads them to Jesus (cf. Jn 12:20-22). Thus, Andrew teaches us what authentic missionary work is: bring people to Jesus. He also teaches us how to become missionary in the given context of our lives.
