December
3Saints of the Day...and And Events
December
3
Saints of the Day...and And Events
Jesus asked, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Matthew 16:26). The words were repeated to a young teacher of philosophy who had a highly promising career in academics, with success and a life of prestige and honor before him.
Francis Xavier, 24 at the time, and living and teaching in Paris, did not heed these words at once. They came from a good friend, Ignatius of Loyola, whose tireless persuasion finally won the young man to Christ. Francis then made the spiritual exercises under the direction of Ignatius, and in 1534 joined his little community (the infant Society of Jesus). Together at Montmartre they vowed poverty, chastity and apostolic service according to the directions of the pope.
From Venice, where he was ordained priest in 1537, Francis Xavier went on to Lisbon and from there sailed to the East Indies, landing at Goa, on the west coast of India. For the next 10 years he labored to bring the faith to such widely scattered peoples as the Hindus, the Malayans and the Japanese. He learned enough Japanese to preach to simple folk, to instruct and to baptize, and to establish missions for those who were to follow him. From Japan he had dreams of going to China, but this plan was never realized. Before reaching the mainland he died.
Wherever he went, he lived with the poorest people,
sharing their food and rough accommodations. He spent countless hours
ministering to the sick and the poor, particularly to lepers. Very often
he had no time to sleep or even to say his breviary but, as we know from his
letters, he was filled always with joy.
Tremendously successful
missionary
for ten years in
India, the
East Indies, and
Japan, baptizing more than 40,000. His epic finds him dining with
head hunters, washing sores of
lepers
in
Venice,
teaching
catechism
to
Indian
children, baptizing 10,000 in a single month. He tolerated the most appalling
conditions on long sea voyages, enduring extremes of heat and cold. Wherever
he went he would seek out and help the
poor
and forgotten. He traveled thousands of miles, most on his bare feet, and he
saw the greater part of the Far East. Had the gift of tongues. Miracle
worker. Raised 12 people from the dead. Calmed storms. Prophet.
Healer.
Comment: All of us are called to “go and preach to all nations” (see Matthew 28:19). Our preaching is not necessarily on distant shores but to our families, our children, our husband or wife, our coworkers. And we are called to preach not with words, but by our everyday lives. Only by sacrifice, the giving up of all selfish gain, could Francis Xavier be free to bear the Good News to the world. Sacrifice is leaving yourself behind at times for a greater good, the good of prayer, the good of helping someone in need, the good of just listening to another. The greatest gift we have is our time. Francis gave his to others.
Readings: from letters to Saint Ignatius Loyola from Saint Francis Xavier
Events of December 3 - Saints of December 3:
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