Today is the Feast of Saint Francis Xavier. A Saint categorized by uncommon zeal for preaching the Word of God. When he was young, he studied at the University of Paris along with Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The two became friends and later would go on to cofound the Society of Jesus - the Jesuits. A little later on Saint Francis Xavier was sent by his friend to preach in the new mission territories of Asia. Despite the long journey and the many unknowns, he went dutifully to bring the Light of Christ to all he met. While in India he would write letters back to his friend in Europe, this is an excerpt from one such letter...
"We have visited the villages of the new converts who accepted the Christian religion a few years ago. No Portuguese live here, the country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no priests. They know only that they are Christians.
There is nobody to say Mass for them, nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, and the commandments of God's law. I have not stopped since the day I arrived. I conscientiously made the rounds of the villages. I bathed in the sacred waters all the children who had not yet been baptized. This means that I have purified a very large number of children so young that, as the saying goes, they could not tell their right hand from their left.
The older children would not let me say my office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another, and then I began to understand the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I could not refuse so devout a request without failing to end devotion myself. I taught them first the confession of faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, then the Apostles Creed, the Our Father, and the Hail Mary.
I noticed among them persons of great intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no doubt that they would make excellent Christians. Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only. There is nobody to make them Christians.
Again and again, I have thought of going around the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere, crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity. What a tragedy. How many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell thanks to you! I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and the talents entrusted to them.
This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God's will and His choice. They would cry out with all their heart. Lord, I am here. What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like, even to India!"
- Father Willy's inspirational homily was recorded live during Mass at the Father Peyton Center this morning. You can view the Mass (and the Rosary at the 30-minute mark) on the Family Rosary YouTube page.
- To join the Rosary and Mass Livestream, visit the Family Rosary YouTube or Facebook page at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, Monday – Friday. Consider inviting others to join too! (*If you are not a member of Facebook and a signup window appears, simply select the X at the top of the pop-up message and continue to the livestream.)
