St. Francis Xavier, the great 16th-century missionary
Reflections on the readings for the Memorial of St. Francis Xavier (December 3, 2021): IS 29:17-24; PS 27:1,4,13-14; MT 9:27-31
MISSIO offers “Preaching Mission,” as a homily help, providing connections to mission from the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days.
We now honor St. Francis Xavier as patron of missions, a title granted to him in 1925.
Born of a noble family in Navarre, Spain, in 1506, St. Francis Xavier went to Paris to study when he was 18 years old. Within a few years he met and was deeply influenced by St. Ignatius Loyola, a former soldier who had undergone a religious conversion. In 1534 these two along with five other men took vows as the founding members of the Society of Jesus. They had a special commitment to the service of the pope as well as being missionaries to communicate the word of Christ far and wide. Encouraged and supported by the king of Portugal, Francis Xavier set off for India in 1540. He had great success in Goa before going on to Malacca and the Moluccan Islands. He made an effort to learn the different languages and to show respect for the people and their traditions. He also lived a true spirit of poverty as well as loving service to the men, women, and children to whom he preached the Good News. More Jesuits came to carry on these missionary efforts and he went to continue his work in Japan. Soon Francis Xavier was eager to go to China. On this date in 1552, he was on a small island off its southern coast awaiting a boat to take him there, when he died of fever. In 1622, St. Francis Xavier was canonized at the same time as his beloved friend St. Ignatius Loyola. We now honor St. Francis Xavier as patron of missions, a title granted to him in 1925 at the same time as it was given to St. Therese of Lisieux; she serving through prayer and sacrifice from her cloister, and he from the mission field itself.
As a true missionary of our Lord and Savior, St. Francis Xavier wanted all those he baptized to grow in faith and to be as committed to living their beliefs as he was. He said, “As soon as a good Christian awakens in the morning, he should … profess the Most Holy Trinity, three Persons in one some God, which Christians alone truthfully and faithfully profess when they bless themselves with the words: in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Then he should) profess Jesus Christ, the true Son of God, by reciting the Creed.” He certainly shared his deep faith, hope, and love with all he met.
