Feast of St. Andrew, Apostle – 30 November 2020
In today’s reflection, Waiting in Joyful Hope author Michelle Francl-Donnay reflects on Romans 10:18b, as well as St. Andrew and Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium.
In the comments section below, share your own response to today’s scripture, Francl-Donnay’s reflection, or the accompanying meditation prompt.
From my perspiration. A few years back, sitting in a Cleveland Clinic waiting room, a young woman wearing a Gilmore Girls tee shirt came in. We struck up a conversation about the tv show and shared giggles over favorite themes, characters, etc. Afterward, she asked me why I was there. So I shared that my son was undergoing a test. She offered to pray with me- out loud, right there in front of God and everybody! I said yes and received one of the greatest blessings of my life- the courage to praise, thank and talk to God in public. She was there for her sister who had been in a terrible car crash and needed neurological care only to be found at the Clinic. I prayed for them, out loud, blushing and perspiring. They are my examples, we are still close friends, and I still perspire when I pray out loud with people.
I reflected on the call of Andrew, Simon, James and John. They were called,responded and followed Jesus. I have to respond to His call in my life also. I need to make time regularly in my day to pray, to reflect. The response is not a “1 and done” thing. I have to keep committing myself to respond.
A couple years ago, when I was just starting to become interested in how a person might actually achieve St. Paul’s ideal of “pray without ceasing,” I considered checking out my books from a different library, lest my old acquaintances on the staff (eyeing all these books about spirituality, Scripture and saints) conclude that I was in the midst of some sort of mid-life crisis that was turning me into a religious kook. Fortunately, I promptly experienced the appropriate shame.
So have they figured out that I’m a Christian yet, from the books I check out? I don’t know. Now I’m more concerned about whether or not that’s the only piece of evidence that gives them grounds to suspect.