ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS: Homily: St. Andrew

Today is rightly considered St. Andrew's birthday. He did not come to birth from his mother's womb today, but we recognize that through the conception of faith and the child-birth of martyrdom he was brought forth into heavenly glory. His mother's cradle did not receive him today as a softly crying infant, but the heavenly abodes welcomed him in triumph. He did not draw the soft mild nourishment of milk from his mother's breast, but as a devoted soldier he valiantly shed his blood for his King.

He lives, because, as a warrior in the heavenly army, he slew death. Sweating and sighing after his expiring Lord, he follows along and strives to walk with the full vigorous stride of his virtue. Nature had made him similar to his brother [Simon Peter], his vocation had made him a companion, and grace had made him an equal. He did not want this journey to make him dissimilar.

At one word of the Lord, Andrew had, like him, left his father, his country, and his possessions. Through Christ's own gift, he offered himself without wearying as the companion of his brother in labors, reproaches, journeys, insults, and vigils. The only blemish is that he fled at the time of the Lord's Passion. However, his fleeing does not give him an inferior rank. If to deny one's Lord is deemed a fault of some importance, surely it is not more serious to flee than to deny.

We should pass over the other matters in silence, brethren. The forgiveness put on a level those whom their fault had separated. And the fervor with which they afterwards suffered martyrdom proved the devotion of those men who had previously incurred dishonor through their fear. Later on, they eagerly embraced with all their hearts that cross from which they had shrunk, so as to ascend to heaven and gain their reward and crown from the same cross from which they had once derived guilt.

Peter mounted a cross, and Andrew a tree. In this way they who longed to suffer with Christ showed forth in themselves the kind and manner of His suffering; redeemed upon a cross, they were made perfect for their palms. Thus, even if Andrew is second in dignity, he is not inferior in regard to the reward or the suffering.