St. George
Serbian Orthodox Church
Carmichaels, PA
St. Andrew the Holy and All Praised Apostle
2003
by Fr. Rodney Torbic
John 1:40 - One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew,
Simon Peter's brother.
Today we remember in the Holy Orthodox Church, the Holy and All Praised Apostle Andrew.
According to the Calendar of the Serbian Orthodox Church, St. Andrew is known as the
First-Called. 1
The Holy Gospel of St. John mentions Andrew as being the brother of Simon Peter.
(Jn. 1:40)
St. Bishop NIKOLAI (Velimirovic) said after the descent of the Holy Spirit, St. Andrew
was to preach the Gospel in Byzantium, Thrace, along the Danube, in Russia by the Black Sea,
in Epirus, Greece and the Peloponnese. 2
St. Andrew suffered and was crucified, finishing his earthly life in the year 62.
3
Contemporary believers benefit from researching and studying the history of the Church
from the time of Jesus Christ to the present. Contemporary believers benefit from considering
the suffering of the Holy Apostles.
In America, great abundance is evident. In America, there is evidence of great excess
of wealth. Serious believers and followers of Jesus Christ seem relatively few.
St.Andrew had the experience of knowing Jesus Christ at the time when the Twelve Apostles
were being assembled by Christ. St. Andrew had the experience of knowing Jesus Christ in the
flesh.
Contemporary believers also have the opportunity to know Jesus Christ. The Epistle to
the Hebrews says: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
(Heb. 13:8)
Contemporary believers have the opportunity to partake of the Precious Body and Blood of
Jesus Christ in the Holy Divine Liturgy.
We learn from St.Andrew the importance of following Jesus Christ. We learn from
St. Andrew the importance of being steadfast in faith in the face of great adversity.
Jesus invited St.Andrew and the disciple who was with him to "Come and see."
(Jn. 1:39) Each person is invited to "Come and see." Each believer
is invited: "In the fear of God and in faith, draw near."
Experiencing Jesus Christ is an incomparable experience. Experiencing Jesus Christ
changes one's life forever. It is the consciousness of knowing the experience that brings
about the change. The believer knows that life is now different, that Jesus Christ is
"King and God."
12003 Calendar of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the United States and Canada.
Editor, Very Rev. Petar Milosevich. Published by the Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood of the
United States and Canada. St. Louis, Missouri, p.33.
2St. Nikolai Velimirovic. The Prologue of Ohrid. Serbian Orthodox Diocese of
Western America, Alhambra, California, 2002, p.603.
3Ibid.