Francis first went to Goa in India. With the help of interpreters he spoke to poor fishermen. Tirelessly, he went from village to village to explain the faith, using a small catechism in the Tamil language. Within a few years, thousands of people asked to be baptised.
In the Gospels, Jesus’s disciples are often mentioned in groups of four, and Andrew is always in the first group. So, he was very close to Jesus. However, he seems to be the least of his group. He is always mentioned after his brother. Still, it was Andrew who met Jesus first, and then brought Peter to him (Jn 1:40-42). That gives a good idea of his entire career: like most of us he is not the first, not the most important, but he is a very faithful follower of Jesus. And he does not have a problem with this! Rather, he is happy to be with Jesus.
In this Advent reflection of the first line of the Hail Mary, discover how Mary helps us to consider our place in salvation history, and how meditating upon Mary's role in the birth of Our Lord also encourages us to meditate upon the fulfilment of the Kingdom.
As Advent begins and you put your Advent wreath in pride of place in your home, gather your household together to pray this blessing.
Help your child prepare for Christmas with these child-friendly instructions for making an Advent wreath.
Discover how to use Advent as a time for preparation for Christmas by unpacking Catholic customs, their origins and their significance. What does the Advent wreath symbolise? Who invented the Christmas crib? What are the Catholic origins of the Christmas tree? Learn these fascinating facts and more in this blog.
