Reflection on St Francis Xavier - Saint of the Day - December 3 2016

      During Advent, we have a lot of prophets and saints who speak out to us on our Advent journey.  Yesterday, we honored four women - one lay missionary and three religious sisters - who were martyred for the faith in the war-torn country of El Salvador on that day in 1980.  Our saint today is St. Francis Xavier, a man who became a friend of St. Ignatius of Loyola and a member of the Jesuits after he finished his studies for the priesthood at the University of Paris in the early 16^th century.  Francis Xavier lived in a world where the Protestant Reformation was taking place – many in the Catholic Church experienced turmoil and confusion rather than hope and peace.  Yet, these young Jesuits dreamed of being loyal to the Pope and to the Church, of spreading this message to the ends of the earth.  Wherever Francis Xavier went out as a missionary to spread God's word, he lived with the poorest of the poor, he shared their food, and lived in their simple accommodations. He spent his ministry devoted to the sick and to the poor, including lepers.  He always found great joy in truly living out the values and ideals of Christ’s Gospel. He truly built his faith on a solid foundation.  After spending many years preaching in India and Japan, he died on his journey to China, where he dreamed of spreading the Word to the people there.  Francis lived the values of justice and peace that Isaiah foretells in his message this Advent season, values that are fulfilled in the coming of Jesus.  May the message and life of St Francis Xavier and all the other Advent prophets challenge us on our own Advent journeys.