THE WORD AND THE SAINT
December 3, 2020: Remembering St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of India
1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23; Mark 16: 15-20
3 Messages that Francis Xavier can teach us from the Word today:
1. GO TO THE ENDS
One of the many representations of St. Francis Xavier, has the saint holding his heart in his hands and the heart burning! Indeed, a perfect image for this great missionary who not only dared to go to the ends of the world, but yearned to. He was burning with zeal for the Lord and for the proclamation of the Word.
2. PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL
Proclaiming the Gospel, as Paul would say, for Francis Xavier was a God-given duty, not merely his fancy hobby. That is the reason for the zeal and the dedication that he had. Today we are called to proclaim too, as a duty! But let us take the inspiration from the other Francis, the one from Assisi: 'Proclaim the Gospel always; use words when necessary!' The very zeal that Francis Xavier had for the Lord and the Word, was already a proclamation... then followed his missionary trips.
3. SEEK GOD BEFORE EVERYTHING
What would a person profit, if he gained the whole world, but lost his soul! That was the Word that shook Francis Xavier towards sanctity, a sanctity which is so concretely observed even today in his remains, that stand testimony to the whole world! Can we just sit down and list out today, how many things are rated before God as priorities in our lives... may be, we will do well to work on that list and reduce the number of those things in our life that tend to take a priority over and above, the Lord.
Happy feast of the Missionary of the Millennium!
MAY FRANCIS XAVIER FILL US WITH THE SAME ZEAL THAT HE HAD.