WASHINGTON, DC (Catholic Online) - My brother and I found a lot of "important" things to argue about when we were growing up. He would sit over on MY half of the back seat in the car or look out MY window. I would touch one of his toys. The list was endless.

As we grew older, the conflicts diminished, but, as with many boys, there was that subtle and unspoken competition between us. The Smothers Brothers, several decades ago enshrined this contest of egos when Tommy Smothers would trumpet, "Mom always liked you best!"

I have to say that St. Andrew has always been a hero of mine partly because of the way he included his brother in a great discovery. No sibling rivalry there, they were together in a great adventure of faith. With this being his feast day, his gift to the Church needs to be remembered.

In today's reading, while walking by the Sea of Galilee one day, our Lord calls out to two fishermen, Andrew and his brother, Simon who was called Peter. He invites them to begin fishing for men. But there is more to the story.

Prior to this encounter, Andrew - who was already a disciple of John the Baptist - was one of the two who heard him declare, "Behold the Lamb of God" regarding Jesus. Both of them followed the Lord.

"Rabbi, where are you staying?" he asked and they spent the day with Jesus. He then went out and searched for his brother Simon and told him the good news.

St. John records this encounter in his Gospel. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said,  "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Rock). (John 1:41, 42)

Now that's a brother! I have often wondered if Andrew knew, from growing up with Simon, that he would probably take center stage. I would think so. Peter was probably the more outgoing one, the one who took command in situations and seemed to have a way with people.

Combining impulsiveness and passion, he was also the one who most likely got into trouble, saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.

How easy it might have been for Andrew to keep the secret all to himself and hold on to Jesus as his personal discovery, leaving Peter behind. This would the typical immature response of a lot of people. What if Jesus liked his brother best? What if Jesus invited Peter instead of him to follow? What if.

There are a lot of reasons, as irrational as they might be, for keeping the encounter to himself. Instead Andrew first finds his brother and brings him to meet the Savior. He was excited and he wanted Peter to share in it.

By this selfless act, he was able to bring before our Lord the man upon whom Christ would build His church. He brought the first Pope to Jesus!

There is not a great deal written about Andrew and he left no writings of which we are aware. However, there are a few things we do know that make him a worthy model for those who desire to follow after Christ.

I. He longed for the Messiah

Like his brother, Peter, he was a fisherman. However, he was also a disciple of John the Baptist. He spent time in the wilderness at Bethany beyond the Jordon, listening to the prophet and helping with baptisms. It was there he first encountered Jesus.

Andrew's discipleship could be considered a wilderness experience (pun intended). He was not in a spiritual wilderness, however, and fastened upon the hope of the coming Messiah. He was committed to follow the one who was sent as the "voice crying in the wilderness" to prepare for his arrival.

How excited Andrew must have been. He and another unnamed man became the first followers of the Lord. In fact, in the Eastern Church he is called the Prōtoklētos, which means "first called." Orthodox Christians have a special place in their heart for St. Andrew as, according to tradition, he is considered the founder and the first bishop of the Byzantine Church as well as the patron saint of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

It was out of Andrew's devotion to the coming of the Messiah that we really see his evangelistic fervor released. Upon hearing John's declaration and coming face-to-face with Jesus, his first response is to tell someone. particularly his brother.

This is the true heart of evangelization - one beggar telling another beggar where to find the living bread.

Many years ago, when serving a parish in the protestant world, I was a part of a special conference in California that included a behind-the-scenes visit to Disneyland. I was teamed up with a fellow clergyman, who was a friend, and assigned a guide for the outing.

As we began our tour, my friend began to talk to our guide about the Lord. He wanted to know if she went to church; if so, where; and where her heart was with ...