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Meditation for December 1st
St. Andrew (transferred)
Reading: Matthew 4:18-22
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
Meditation by Jeremy O’Neill
This is a time of year where many are negotiating some form of travel. Whether it be to see loved ones, vacation, seeking medical care or a permanent relocation, many of us find ourselves in the midst of various journeys. One of the primary characteristics of modern travel is waiting, which makes it a perfect lens with which to examine and ponder the meaning of Advent this year. Advent is a journey of waiting, and at the end we will hear a familiar story of an immigrant family seeking a place to stay whilst negotiating the challenges of pregnancy and relocation.
Today is also the feast of St. Andrew, whose life as a fisherman would have meant he was seasoned in both waiting and travelling. After his death, relics of him were brought (travelled) to an area between the Firth of Forth and the River Tay in Scotland now known as St. Andrews. This started Andrew’s association with the country, an association which continues today. Andrew is traditionally said to have been crucified for his faith on an x-shaped cross at his own request, as he deemed himself unworthy to die in the same manner of Christ. This shape, known as the saltire, appears on the number of flags, including the blue and white of Scotland.
Please forgive my personal sentimentality, but these themes make me think of my grandfather, who travelled on December 24th, 1947 from Dundee, Scotland to New York. Though his journey wasn’t plagued by many of the political and racial inequities many face, both in the time of Jesus’s birth and today, I am still moved by his willingness to step into the unknown with limited resources in search of something better.
In many ways, Advent is about us all being willing to step into the unknown in hope for something better. It is also a time of waiting and discerning how to greet the new arrival of Christ. This year in particular, many will be facing journeys planned and unplanned, and I pray that God will be with them and bring them safely to their destination. I also hope that we can welcome and be hospitable to all travellers, both literally and figuratively. Finally, may we remember that God became incarnate in this world as a human being not in the halls of power or places of luxury, but in a stable, surrounded by his immigrant parents, tired travellers, and many different kinds of creatures. This is the incarnation we are waiting for, the presence of Christ on this earth even in places we wouldn’t think to look.
Prayer for Travellers from the Book of Common Prayer,
O God, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Preserve those who travel; surround them with your loving care; protect them from every danger; and bring them in safety to their journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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