In The Shadow of Someone

 

Today the Catholic Church commemorates the feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle. Martyred by crucifixion on X-shape cross called saltire, now known as Saint Andrew’s Cross. Tradition says that he did not deemed himself worthy to be crucified on the same type of cross as Jesus had.

In John 1:40 and Matthew 4:18 and in other texts, he was always known as the brother of Peter. It was always Peter who was known, he was the leader while Andrew was always on the supporting role. Every time he was introduced, he was always presented as the brother of Peter. It seems like he has no identity of himself and was always in the shadow of his more popular brother. He might not resent it for how can you resent being associated to the leader. Moreover Andrew was focused on the mission to even bother about pity things such as being always associated to his brother. He was sure of himself and confident of his role in the greater scheme of things. The gospel of John 1:35-42 tells us how Andrew was the first to have found the Messiah and introduced his brother to Jesus.  Without Andrew, Peter could have not known Christ and there could have no Peter in the Church. We could have a different history of our church.

Remember Andrew every time you feel always being compared to your siblings and every time you feel always living in the shadow of your more popular brother or sister. Like him, let us be secure of our place in the greater scheme of things, confident of our role and assured of who we are in the eyes of God. Peter is Peter partly because of Andrew and so are our brothers or sisters who shadowed over us could not have achieved more without their siblings. 

 

by  aats