November 30th, The Feast of Saint Andrew The Apostle.
Saint Andrew is often referred to as “the first called” in the east because he was a disciple of John the Baptist before following after Jesus, and it was him who brought his brother Simon Peter to meet the Lord.
Andrew was martyred for his faith in Christ by being tied to an X-shaped cross. This has become his most recognizable symbol, it is often called “Saint Andrew’s cross,” and because he is their patron saint it was adopted as the flag of Scotland 🏴.
I have a very strong connection and devotion to Saint Andrew. My father was a very proud Scotsman, and Saint Andrew being the patron saint of Scotland always made it feel like he was my patron saint before I even believed in the communion of saints, as much as Saint Patrick was for my mother’s Irish side of the family. Also my father’s birthday falls on Saint Andrew’s feast day.
A decade before I even considered conversion, I would find myself occasionally driving to a Catholic Church by the name of Saint Andrew the Apostle for Mass, even though there were churches closer to where I lived. Then when I was finally ready for Rcia, it was the same Saint Andrew’s parish that I decided to attend, even though again there were closer parishes to me.
I now call Saint Andrew the Apostle my home parish, and it really has been for years longer than I realized. All this could be coincidence, or it could be the intercession of the first Apostle called by Christ, calling me as he called his brother Peter to walk with our Lord.
Saint Andrew the Apostle, pray for us.
Now That I'm Catholic 
I love being able to look back and see places where God was already working in me to draw me home, long before I ever would have consciously considered the Church. Even though I was a strict Presbyterian for a lot of years, I can look back and see where I was really a Catholic just waiting to happen.
LikeLike
Amen. God moulds and shapes us even before we know He is doing it. I was sitting waiting for Mass to start last Christmas and I realized that I had sat in that same parish (my current home parish) for at least 17 years for Mass on Christmas except for one year when I was out of town. That goes back even before I became a regular Mass attendee or even thought about converting. I was always right there at 10am on Christmas, and I just thanked God for walking me on that path even before I knew I was walking at all lol.
LikeLike
And there is a lovely town called St Andrews in Scotland – a place that feels very peaceful.
LikeLike
Yes I’ve been there. Beautiful place.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So glad you have made it there. It’s a very special place to me although I haven’t visited in a long time.
LikeLike
Baptist in 1961 I started My Walk with the Lord,though I had no idea that I was on the joinery. That was 61 years ago.
There have been some Highs and some Lows in My Life but I always go back to the time when My Mother, the Saint that She was ,was teaching My Brother and I about The Lord.
I was about 5 of 6 years old And those memories will be with Me until I see her again in Heaven…
LikeLike