The St Andrew Christmas Novena – The Christmas Anticipation Prayer
Pray 15 Times each day.
Let us Pray!
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 the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe,
I beseech Thee, O my God,
to hear my prayer and grant my desires,
………………… [here mention your request]
through the merits of Our Saviour Jesus Christ
and of His blessed Mother.
Amen
Thought for the Day – 30 November – The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ, Martyr for Christ
“St Andrew was the first convert among the Apostle; he was especially in our Lord’s confidence; thrice is he described as introducing others to Him; [but] he is little known in history; while the place of dignity and the name of highest renown, have been allotted to his brother Simon, whom he was the means of bringing to the knowledge of his Saviour ….
These men, are not necessarily, the most useful men in their generation, not the most favoured by God, who made the most noise in the world and who seem to be principals in the great changes and events recorded in history ….
His marvellous Providence works beneath a veil, which speaks but an untrue language. And, to see Him who is the Truth and the Life, we must stoop underneath it and so, in our turn, hide ourselves from the world.”
Quote of the Day – 30 November – The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ, Martyr on the Cross for Christ
This is what the Apostle is claimed to have said on that occasion, according to an ancient story (which dates back to the beginning of the sixth century), entitled The Passion of Andrew:
“Hail, O Cross, inaugurated by the Body of Christ and adorned with His limbs as though they were precious pearls. Before the Lord mounted you, you inspired an earthly fear. Now, instead, endowed with heavenly love, you are accepted as a gift.
Believers know of the great joy that you possess and of the multitude of gifts you have prepared. I come to you, therefore, confident and joyful, so that you too may receive me, exultant as a disciple of the One who was hung upon you…. O blessed Cross, clothed in the majesty and beauty of the Lord’s limbs!…
Take me, carry me far from men and restore me to my Teacher, so that, through you, the One who redeemed me by you, may receive me.
Hail, O Cross, yes, hail indeed!”
One Minute Reflection – 30 November – The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ, Gospel: Matthew 4:18–22
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men” … Matthew 4:19
REFLECTION – “The call reaches them in the middle of their daily activity – the Lord reveals Himself to us, not in an extraordinary or impressive way but in the everyday circumstances of our life. There we must discover the Lord and there, He reveals Himself, makes His love felt in our heart and there — with this dialogue with Him in the everyday circumstances of life — He changes our heart. The response of the four fishermen is immediate and willing – “Immediately they left their nets and followed him” (v. 20). On the shores of the lake, in an inconceivable land, the first community of disciples of Christ was born. May the knowledge of these beginnings give rise in us to the desire to bear Jesus’ word, love and tenderness in every context, even the most difficult and resistant. To carry the Word to all the peripheries! … Pope Francis – Angelus, 22 January 2017
PRAYER – Lord, in Your kindness hear our petitions. You called Andrew the Apostle, to preach the Gospel and guide Your Church in faith. May he always be our friend in Your presence, to help us with his prayers. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen
Our Morning Offering – 30 November – The Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ and Martyr
Great Saint Andrew Friend of Jesus
By Frederick Oakley (1802-1880)
(Frederick Oakley was an Anglican minister
who converted to Catholicism)
Great Saint Andrew friend of Jesus,
Lover of His glorious Cross,
Quickly at the master’s bidding,
Called from ease to pain and loss,
Sweet Saint Andrew, Simon’s brother,
Like him started life anew,
Gladly spread the holy gospel
Which from word of God he drew.
Blessed Saint Andrew, noble herald,
True apostle, martyr bold,
Who, by deeds his words confirming,
Sealed with blood the truth he told.
Never was a crown more glorious,
Never prize to heart so dear,
As to him the Cross of Jesus
When its promised joys drew near.
Loved Saint Andrew, Scotland’s patron,
Watch thy land with heedful eye,
Rally round the Cross of Jesus
All her storied chivalry!
To the Father, Son and Spirit,
Fount of sanctity and love,
Give we glory, now and ever,
With the saints who reign above.
Feast of St Andrew, Apostle of Christ, Martyr – 30 November
Saint Andrew was the brother of the Apostle Peter and like his brother was born in Bethsaida of Galilee (where the Apostle Philip was also born). While his brother would eventually overshadow him as the first among the apostles, it was Saint Andrew, a fisherman like Peter, who (according to the Gospel of John) introduced Saint Peter to Christ.
St Andrew was a fisherman who lived in Galilee during the time of Jesus. He followed John the Baptist and listened to his teachings. One day, John saw Jesus walking along the road. John said to his followers, “Behold the Lamb of God.” He told his followers to go and talk to Jesus. He wanted them to know that Jesus was the One for whom they had been waiting. Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus and spent an afternoon with him. Early the next day Andrew found Simon Peter, his brother and told him, “We have found the Messiah.”
Both men gave up their work as fishermen to become apostles of Jesus. Andrew was one of the first to be called. He seemed to take delight in bringing others to Jesus. 
Andrew was the one who told Jesus about the little boy who had the loaves of bread and the fish, the beginning of a meal that fed more than five thousand people.
It was Andrew and Philip whom the Greeks approached when they wanted to see Jesus. These events indicate that Andrew was a man who was easy to approach, a man you could trust.
Like the other apostles, Andrew became a missionary. He preached about Jesus in the area around the Black Sea. Tradition tells us he preached in northern Greece, Turkey and Scythia (now the southern part of Russia).
Tradition places Saint Andrew’s martyrdom on 30 November of the year 60 (during the persecution of Nero) in the Greek city of Patras. A medieval traditional also holds that, like his brother Peter, he did not regard himself as worthy of being crucified in the same manner as Christ and so he was placed on an X-shaped cross, now known (especially in heraldry and flags) as a Saint Andrew’s Cross. The Roman governor ordered him bound to the cross rather than nailed, to make the crucifixion and thus Andrew’s agony, last longer.
Because of his patronage of Constantinople, Saint Andrew’s relics were transferred there around the year 357. Tradition holds that some relics of Saint Andrew were taken to Scotland in the eighth century, to the place where the town of S. Andrews stands today. In the wake of the Sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, the remaining relics were brought to the Cathedral of Saint Andrew in Amalfi, Italy. In 1964, in an attempt to strengthen relations with the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople, Pope Paul VI returned all relics of Saint Andrew that were then in Rome to the Greek Orthodox Church.
Every year since then, the Pope has sent delegates to Constantinople for the feast of Saint Andrew (and, in November 2007, Pope Benedict himself went), just as the Ecumenical Patriarch sends representatives to Rome for the 29 June feast of Saints Peter and Paul (and, in 2008, went himself). Thus, like his brother Saint Peter, Saint Andrew is in a way a symbol of the striving for Christian unity.
St Andrew’s Feast takes pride of place in the Liturgical Calendar, for in the Roman Catholic calendar, the liturgical year begins with Advent and the First Sunday of Advent is always the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew. Though Advent can begin as late as 3 December, Saint Andrew’s feast, today is traditionally listed as the first Saint’s day of the liturgical year, even when the First Sunday of Advent falls after it—an honour commensurate with Saint Andrew’s place among the apostles The tradition of praying the Saint Andrew Christmas Novena 15 times each day from the Feast of Saint Andrew until Christmas flows from this arrangement of the calendar.
The name “Andrew” is a Greek name meaning “courageous” or “manly.” St Andrew lived up to his name.
St Andrew, pray that we live up to the name “Christian”!
St Andrew’s Patronages are here:
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/30/saint-of-the-day-30-november-st-andrew-apostle-of-christ-martyr/
St Andrew the Apostle (Feast)
St Andrew!
https://anastpaul.com/2018/11/30/saint-of-the-day-30-november-st-andrew-apostle-of-christ-martyr/
St Abraham of Persia
Bl Alexander Crow
St Anders of Slagelse
Bl Andrew of Antioch
Bl Arnold of Gemblours
St Castulus of Rome
St Constantius of Rome
St Crider of Cornwall
St Cuthbert Mayne
St Domninus of Antioch
St Euprepis of Rome
Bl Everard of Stahleck
Bl Frederick of Regensburg
St Galganus
St Isaac of Beth Seleucia
Bl Joscius Roseus
St Joseph Marchand
St Justina of Constantinople
Bl Ludwik Gietyngier
St Mahanes the Persian
St Maura of Constantinople
St Merola of Antioch
St Mirocles of Milan
St Sapor
St Simeon of Persia
St Thaddeus Liu Ruiting
St Trojan
St Tudwal of Tréguier
Bl William de Paulo
Zosimus the Wonder Worker
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Martyrs of Saxony – 6 saints: Missionaries who worked with Saint Willehad of Bremen. Martyrs. – Attroban, Benjamin, Emmingen, Folkard, Gerwald and Grisold. They were martyred on 30 November 782 at River Weser, Lawer Saxony, Germany.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War – Martyred Augustinians of Madrid – 51 beati and Martyred Hospitallers of Madrid – 7 beati – Thousands of people were murdered in the anti-Catholic persecutions of the Spanish Civil War from 1934 to 1939.
AnaStpaul 
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