Almighty God, who didst give such grace unto thy holy Apostle
Saint Andrew, that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus
Christ, and followed him without delay: Grant unto us all, that
we, being called by thy holy word, may forthwith give up ourselves
obediently to fulfil thy holy commandments; through the same Jesus
Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
THE EPISTLE. Rom. x. 9.
If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead,
thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him
shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the
Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all
that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him, in
whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him,
of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it
is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they
have not all obeyed the Gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily,
their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends
of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I
will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by
a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and
saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest
unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All
day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and
gainsaying people.
THE GOSPEL. St Matth. iv. 18.
Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon
called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea,
(for they were fishers;) and he saith unto them, Follow me; and
I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their
nets, and followed him. And going on from thence he saw other two
brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a
ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called
them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and
followed him.
SAINT THOMAS THE APOSTLE _December_ 21.