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Abandoning All
Feast of Saint Andrew, Apostle, November 30
As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Matthew 4:18–20
Today we celebrate Saint Andrew the Apostle. According to John’s Gospel, Andrew was originally John the Baptist’s disciple and was present when John proclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God” (John 1:36). Hearing this, Andrew immediately spent the day with Jesus. He soon told his brother, Simon, that they had found the Messiah.
The above Gospel passage from Saint Matthew relates the story a bit differently. Matthew does not include the initial encounter Andrew had with Jesus. Instead, Matthew points to the moment when Andrew made the definitive decision to abandon everything and follow our Lord, along with his brother.
Matthew’s version of Andrew’s calling is particularly inspiring. By considering the version in John’s Gospel alongside Matthew’s account, we can imagine that Andrew and Peter quickly became convinced that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. After arriving at that conviction, they continued their work as fishermen. Imagine the conversations these two brothers might have shared between their first encounter with Jesus in John’s Gospel and this pivotal moment in Matthew’s account. Their hearts and minds must have been filled with excitement and wonder. They believed but not yet perfectly. They hoped but didn’t know what to do. Then Jesus walked by again and told them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” This was no small command, but they immediately “left their nets and followed him.”
Jesus acts similarly in our lives. When we first discover Him and receive the gift of faith, we are invited to ponder Who He is. A new convert often begins to examine life more thoroughly, considering the sins that must be overcome and the future direction to which newfound faith might lead. During this initial conversion, Jesus is patient with us, allowing us to prayerfully ponder what we have discovered. However, our Lord always desires more from us. He wants everything so that He can give us so much more in return.
In the case of Andrew and Simon, once Jesus knew these two men had faith, He called them to follow Him in a radical way. He asked them to abandon their lives, give up their occupations, trust Him, and follow Him. By an interior gift of grace, these two men knew what they had to do. They left everything behind and followed Jesus.
Have you heard our Lord offer a similar invitation to you? If so, have you responded as Andrew and Peter did? Doing so will radically change your life. It requires much risk, great sacrifice, and firm trust. But if we know and understand that the One Who calls us to follow Him is the Son of God, the Messiah, and the Savior of the World, there will be no hesitation.
Reflect today on Jesus looking at you and saying, “Come after me.” Included within His command is a promise that all you leave behind will be transformed into so much more—“I will make you fishers of men.” If you have not yet dedicated your life fully to Christ, leaving your old self behind, hear our Lord’s call and say “Yes” without hesitation, and your life will never be the same.
My inviting Lord, just as You called Andrew and Simon Peter to follow You, so You call me. Please give me the gift of faith so that I become wholeheartedly convinced that saying “Yes” to You is what I must do. Help me to leave my own will behind, abandoning all You wish me to abandon, so that I find in You the fulfillment of my entire life. Jesus, I trust in You.
The Immaculate Mother of God
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8
The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Luke 1:26–29
The Blessed Virgin Mary was “full of grace!” To be “full” means just that—full, lacking in nothing. This fullness of grace signified that she embodied the perfection of every virtue, particularly humility. Humility is seeing oneself in the light of truth, neither exaggerated nor diminished. Mary’s humility is strikingly revealed in her reaction to the angel Gabriel’s greeting—she was “greatly troubled at what was said” and pondered it deeply.
Why would the Mother of God be troubled? Why not simply respond with confidence, saying, “Thank you for noticing that I am full of grace?” Because Mary knew that her fullness of grace was not due to her own merits. It was entirely beyond her natural abilities and was the result of God’s gracious initiative. Mary freely cooperated with grace throughout her life, and she knew that God alone was the source of every gift. Therefore, her initial reaction of being “troubled” was not due to doubt or fear but was the fruit of her wonder and awe at the incomprehensible blessings bestowed upon her. She saw clearly her own lowliness and unworthiness in relation to God, and this profound humility made her the most beautiful of all creatures.
Her heart, filled with wonder and contemplation, not only made Mary the Immaculate Mother of God but also sets before us a model of perfect discipleship. Though we are not “full” of grace as she was, we receive countless graces daily. Like Mary, we must strive to respond to these gifts with humility, awe, and gratitude.
Today, as we honor the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Immaculate Conception, we remember that while Adam and Eve were created in a state of Original Innocence, they fell from grace through disobedience. As a result, humanity inherited a fallen nature. However, by a singular grace, Mary was preserved from the stain of Original Sin from the very moment of her conception. This prevenient grace—a grace that was given to her before any merit or action on her part—was given to her in light of the future merits of her Son, Jesus Christ. Thus, Mary was redeemed in an extraordinary way, and her soul was preserved from concupiscence and all of the effects of sin. Unlike Adam and Eve, who turned away from God, Mary remained faithful to Him throughout her life, earning her the title, “The New Eve.”
As we celebrate the Immaculate Conception, reflect today on the mystery of Mary’s life and soul. While we can understand her unique role in salvation history to a certain degree, the full beauty and depth of her Immaculate Heart will only be fully revealed in Heaven. For now, we are invited to meditate upon her profound humility, her life of grace, and her role as the model of Christian discipleship.
Dearest Mother of God, you are the Immaculate Conception, filled with grace from the first moment of your existence. You never turned away from God’s gift of grace, given to you through the merits of your Son. Pray for me, that I may come to understand the virtues you embody and strive to imitate your holiness. Help me to embrace the grace that draws me closer to your Son, our Savior. Immaculate Conception, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.
Our Lady, the Greatest Evangelist
Our Lady of Guadalupe, December 12
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.” Luke 1:30–31
Of all the saints throughout the ages, none has proved to be as powerful an evangelist as the Mother of God. While on Earth, she lived a mostly hidden life, demonstrating the perfection of virtue to those closest to her. As a young mother, she cared daily for the needs of her divine Son, constantly pondering the mystery of His Incarnation as it unfolded before her eyes. Her love for her Son, lived out during Jesus’ earthly life, overflowed from her Immaculate Heart and continues to do so today.
After being assumed body and soul into Heaven, her work did not cease. As Queen of Heaven and Earth, she continues to intercede for her spiritual children, mediating the grace we need to grow in holiness. Throughout history, many Marian apparitions have been reported. While numerous reports have not been formally approved, some have, including the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 1531 to Saint Juan Diego.
Following the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521 by Hernán Cortés, the capital was rebuilt into what became Mexico City. Despite the cruelty some Spanish settlers inflicted on the Indigenous people, the Catholic Church, through missionaries and leaders, including Bishop Juan de Zumárraga, sought to protect their rights and dignity while evangelizing them. Many of the Indigenous were understandably suspicious of the missionaries, yet some converted, including a man named Cuauhtlatoatzin, who took the Christian name Juan Diego after his baptism, and his wife, who took the name María Lucía.
On December 9, 1531, while walking to Mass and catechism class, Juan Diego passed Tepeyac Hill, where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him. She spoke to him in his native language, revealed herself as the Mother of God, and asked for a chapel to be built in her honor on that very spot. When Juan took the message to Bishop Zumárraga, the bishop asked for a sign.
On December 12, Juan’s uncle fell seriously ill. While hurrying to find a priest for the Last Rites, Juan took a different route to avoid delaying his journey, but the Mother of God appeared again. She assured him that his uncle was already healed and provided the promised sign for the bishop. She instructed Juan to pick roses blooming unseasonably on the hill; when he brought them to the bishop in his tilma, an image of the Virgin, just as Juan had seen her, appeared on his cloak. Juan Diego’s tilma now hangs in the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Mexico City, fulfilling the Blessed Mother’s request.
While the miraculous image was awe-inspiring, what followed was even more astounding. Over the next decade, millions of Indigenous people embraced the Christian faith, marking one of the most remarkable mass conversions in Church history—all due to the Blessed Mother’s evangelization and intervention. Her love for the Indigenous people and her desire for their salvation brought her to them personally, confirming the truth of the Gospel preached by the Church.
As we honor Our Lady of Guadalupe, reflect today on the tender love of the Mother of God. She deeply desired the salvation of the Indigenous people, just as she desires the salvation of all. Pray for her intercession so that millions more around the world may hear and accept God’s saving message.
Most loving Virgin of Guadalupe, as you looked down from Heaven upon the struggles and suffering of the conquered people of the Aztec Empire, your Immaculate Heart overflowed with compassion for them. As a result, you went to them personally to share the saving message of Your Son. Please pray for me, for the Americas, and for all your children, that we all will be guided to Your Son and come to know His gift of salvation. Our Lady of Guadalupe, pray for us. Jesus, I trust in You.
All 4 volumes are available in paperback & eBook format!
Amazon – Google Play – iTunes – Barnes and Noble – and more!
