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St Francis Xavier, A Fiery Apostle [Catholic/Orthodox Caucus]
CE.com ^ | December 03-2013 | Fr. Ed Broom

Posted on 12/03/2013 6:15:11 PM PST by Salvation

St Francis Xavier, A Fiery Apostle

by Fr. Ed Broom on December 3, 2013 ·

 

The last words that St. Ignatius said to Francis Xavier before he was sent as the greatest missionary after St Paul were: Go set all on fire!  He embarked for India, then to Japan and died on the shore overlooking China.  His missionary work was completed in only 11 years and he died of exhaustion at 46 years of age.

Like Francis Xavier all followers of Christ are called to be prophets, evangelizers, and missionaries. Both Blessed Pope John Paul II and the present Pope Benedict XVI insist on followers of Christ encountering Christ as Friend and Lord and then sharing Jesus with others. It is a contradiction in terms to keep the priceless treasure of Friendship with Jesus to oneself. St. Andrew teaches us this lesson. After being called by Jesus, Andrew filled with joy hurries to tell the Good News (“Gospel”) to his brother Peter.

How did St. Francis Xavier in such a short time convert, baptize, and teach the Catholic faith to thousands? What was his secret to success?

1.    SPIRITUAL EXERCISES.   His conversion came about by having been directed and completing the Spiritual Exercises directed by St. Ignatius himself. Ignatius challenged Xavier with the Biblical quotation:  “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world if he lose his soul in the process?”   The Spiritual Exercises done well enlighten, convert, and transform those who do them into fiery apostles.

2.    OBEDIENCE.   The Holy Father asked Ignatius to send some of his followers from the Company of Jesus to India and the Far East and Francis Xavier obeyed. Obedience to God, the Pope, and the Church is always a true sign of holiness by which God blesses with abundant graces.  “Lord, not my will but yours be done!”  (Prayer of Jesus to the Father in the Garden of Olives).

3.    LOVE FOR POVERTY. Upon arriving in India, Xavier’s heart overflowed with love for the poor of the country. His love knew no bounds.  Identification!   Instead of seeking out comfortable lodgings and ease, Xavier decided to live with the poor, sleep like the poor, eat and drink with the poor, and become poor himself.  Jesus’s first Beatitude exemplifies this attitude of heart: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt. 5: 3).

4.    LOVE FOR THE CHILDREN.   Jesus taught love for children. “Let the children come to me for such is the kingdom of heaven.”  Francis Xavier loved the children and they loved him. He taught them their catechism, as well as their prayers. Such was the love the children had for him that barely did he have time to say his prayers or even eat!

5.    APOSTOLIC CREATIVITY.  Xavier was a genius, as teacher and missionary. As a tool for memorization of the catechism, Xavier made use of the song. In simple verse and rhyme Xavier taught the children the basics of catechism. Domino effect!  Then the children would return home and sing the catechism thereby teaching their own parents. Pope John Paul II exhorts followers of Christ to be opened to the Holy Spirit and new apostolic creativity and initiatives.  Jesus said to Nicodemus that the spirit blows where He wills. Like Xavier let us be open to the wind-direction of the Holy Spirit and follow!

6.    BAPTISM.  It all starts with the sacrament of Baptism. After instructions, Francis Xavier would baptize in the hundreds leading to the thousands! At the end of his day at times he could no longer hold up his arm any longer due to the huge numbers of Baptisms he would do.

7.    ORDER THE DISORDER/ORGANIZATION.   This great saint after finishing his time in one place, would leave well-formed catechists to carry on with the mission of forming the people in the community. Helpers and lay leaders! Now more than ever zealous priests need zealous lay leaders to help to carry on the task of evangelization.   “The harvest is rich but the laborers are few.”

8.    INCULTURATION. While travelling to Japan, Xavier had to learn the social mores and customs of another country. In this case dressed in rags caused the Japanese Emperor revulsion. As St. Paul says, “I become all things to all men so as to win as many to Christ as possible.” Xavier donned the most elegant clothes fashionable and gave gifts to the Emperor, thereby winning the Emperor’s friendship and opening up the door to the preaching of the Gospel message in Japan.

9.    PRAYER AND PENANCE.  It is impossible to find a saint who did not take the “two P’s” seriously: prayer and penance! At the end of his exhausting day, Xavier spent hours in front of the Most Blessed Sacrament, praising the Lord, thanking the Lord and imploring for the sanctification and salvation of the people God placed in his path. The consolation that God sent  Francis Xavier during his prayer was so intense (very much like that of his contemporary St. Philip Neri) that he begged the Lord “basta”— “enough” of the consolation lest he die of its intensity! May Xavier attain for us the fire of intensity in our prayers! Penance? He slept very little so as to accompany the Lord and offer himself as victim for the salvation of souls.

10. APOSTOLIC ZEAL.  The favorite prayer of Xavier was “Give me souls!”  Another saint who had a similar motto was Saint John Bosco whose motto was posted on the wall of his office: “Give me souls and take all the rest away.” St. John of the Cross asserts: “Authentic charity is manifested by apostolic zeal.” Indeed if we truly love God then we should love what God loves— the salvation of immortal souls.   In the Office of Readings for the Feast of  St. Francis Xavier, in a letter written to St. Ignatius, there is a passionate appeal for more workers to gather in the harvest, specifically reproaching the proud and learned at the Universities of Europe (especially Paris).  The words of Xavier explode with apostolic zeal and intense suffering for the salvation of immortal souls.   Let us meditate attentively the words of St. Francis Xavier:

“Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again I have thought of going round 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.” (Office of Readings, Dec. 3, Feast of St. Francis Xavier)



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; missionary
St. Francis Xavier, pray for us.
1 posted on 12/03/2013 6:15:11 PM PST by Salvation
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To: All
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2 posted on 12/03/2013 6:25:02 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: nickcarraway; NYer; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ArrogantBustard; Catholicguy; RobbyS; marshmallow; ...

Saint of the Day Ping!


3 posted on 12/03/2013 6:28:03 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
Excerpt of a letter from +Francis to +Ignatius of Loyola:

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 crying out to the scholars: "What a tragedy: how many souls are being shut out of heaven, thanks to you!"

This thought would certainly stir most of them to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires and give themselves over entirely to God's will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: "Lord, here am I! Send me. Send me anywhere you like -- even to India!"

4 posted on 12/03/2013 7:09:19 PM PST by lightman (O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, giving to Thy Church vict'ry o'er Her enemies.)
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To: lightman

Those lines caught my eye too, and I mentally wondered who the next St. Francis Xavier of our modern world would be.


5 posted on 12/03/2013 7:11:23 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

Recommended reading, by Louis de Wohl.

6 posted on 12/03/2013 7:12:35 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Salvation

What would it profit a man to gain the whole world if he lose his soul in the process? Mark 8:36

COMPARE TO:

For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people, those of my own race. Romans 9:3

But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written. Exodus 32:32

Paul and Moses would have given up their souls for much less than the whole world. Merely for their own brethren. But, God rejected their self-denial (or whatever they were trying to do).

CONTRAST

Love your neighbor as yourself. Mark 12:31 (see also Lev. 19:18, Luke 10:27)

TO

In humility, esteem others other above yourself. Philippians 2:3

Didn’t Moses and Paul esteem others above themselves? Or, what?

And, as for St. Francis Xavier, what’s up with him working himself to death, if that is what he did. Isn’t this also the story of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the beloved Little Flower. Didn’t she die young, actually very young, having neglected herself? If these saints loved others as they love themselves, would they want everybody to die of overwork and of neglect of their own physical needs?


7 posted on 12/03/2013 7:15:03 PM PST by Redmen4ever
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To: Redmen4ever

St. Therese had tuberculosis if I recall correctly.


8 posted on 12/03/2013 7:30:37 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Redmen4ever

It appears that somebody thinks I have broken a rule. On review of the rules, as best as I can figure, somebody takes offense at what I said. So, I will myself answer the questions I pose:

1. St. Francis Xavier was challenged by his teacher with the question “What would it profit a man to gain the whole world if he lose his should in the process?” (This is part of the original post on this thread.)

A couple fellows in the Bible - Paul and Moses - actually attempted to do something like this, to gain the salvation of their brethren at the cost of their own souls. As for St. Francis Xavier, he subsequently went out and worked himself into a early grave, trying to save the people of Japan. He was sainted for this, even though you might think he violated the commanded to rest on the Sabbath and you might think he would have been ordered by a superior to obey that commandment. So, why was he sainted? It’s because of his great sincerity. I don’t think that it was that we should follow his example and work ourselves to death. It’s because God in his wisdom had a special calling for St. Francis Xavier.

2. Did St. Francis Xavier in working himself to death to save the people of Japan follow the admonition to esteem others more than himself; and, is this admonition superior to the commandment to love others as you love yourself?

Well, first of all, Jesus not only affirmed that to love others as you love yourself is second only to love God with your whole self as the greatest commandment and even that is is the sum of all the commandments. So, the admonition of Paul to esteem others more cannot be greater. At the risk of trivializing what Paul said, it means something like opening the door for others, and giving your opponent the benefit of the doubt in a game of tennis when the ball is near the line. Again, I do believe a superior would have ordered St. Francis Xavier to pace himself.

With regard to St. Thérèse of Lisieux, she was ordered by her superiors to rest and to eat properly, but she was compelled to incessant prayer and, in her weakness, overwhelmed by illness. Paradoxically, in view of her great devotion, she is best known for her teaching that our little things are acceptable to God. But, how would we have learned of her teaching without her testimony?

While ordinarily if we are obedient to God’s law we will be blessed with good health, prosperity, friendship and so forth, we know that God calls on some to be witnesses to the truth in a special way. Indeed, we live in an age of martyrs, when the Church is under siege all over the world, even here in the United States, and we are in need of the heroism of the saints.


9 posted on 12/03/2013 8:45:00 PM PST by Redmen4ever
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