Praising 'the greatest missionary of modern times,' St. Francis Xavier, as embodying apostolic zeal at his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Francis said the love of Christ drove him to to the farthest parts of the world to spread the Gospel.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"The love of Christ was the strength that drove him to the furthest frontiers, with constant toil and danger, overcoming setbacks, disappointments and discouragement, indeed, giving him consolation and joy in following and serving him to the end."
With these words, Pope Francis described St. Francis Xavier, "rightly considered the greatest missionary of modern times" at his weekly General Audience on Wednesday morning in St. Peter's Square, as he continued reflecting on figures who personified apostolic zeal.
Reflecting on the patron saint of Catholic missions to the faithful in the Square, the Pope praised the saint's prolific care for the sick, poor, and children, wherever he found himself.
Gratitude to today's misisonaries
"We can learn from St. Francis Xavier,' the Pope said, praising him as an example for missionaries and also for young people. With poverty and courage, the Pope said, the saint's "strength was consumed in his service to the mission" and he accomplished incredible endeavours.
While celebrating St. Francis Xavier's achievements, the Pope praised all missionaries, who continue to dedicate themselves to helping others, inspired by the faith and love of Christ.
"We see this courage in missionaries today, who do not go on ships, but on airplanes, but they have the strength to go out," the Pope applauded.
Dedication unreservedly to God
St. Francis Xavier, the Pope recalled, was born into a noble but impoverished family in Navarre, northern Spain, in 1506, who would later study at the University of Paris "in order to obtain a well-paid ecclesiastical position that will secure his future."
The Pope recalled his reputation as a likeable and brilliant young man, excelling in sport and study.
In college, he would meet an older "and somewhat special companion," St. Ignatius of Loyola. "They become great friends, and Ignatius helps Francis to live a new and profound spiritual experience," the Jesuit Pope highlighted.
This friendship, he observed, resulted in "a true conversion to free himself from all ambition" and him "dedicate himself unreservedly to the service of God, loving and following Jesus Christ."
After finishing his studies, the Holy Father explained, Xavier and some friends went to Rome, and made themselves available to the Pope for the "most urgent needs" of the Church in the world. "At the beginning there were about ten of them and they decided to call themselves the 'Society of Jesus.'"
At this time, the Pope noted, horizons were expanding from Christian Europe towards the then-"unknown ends" of the world.
"New continents, discovery of peoples who had not yet heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The King of Portugal," he recalled, "asked the Pope to send some Jesuits to the East Indies; among them is Francis Xavier."
Making Jesus Christ known
Here, he said, began the first of a numerous band of passionate missionaries, ready to endure immense hardships and dangers, to reach lands and meet peoples of completely unknown cultures and languages.
What they had in common, he said, is that they were "driven only by the very strong desire to make Jesus Christ and his Gospel known, and thus 'save', lead so many people to God and their true good."
Later, he noted, Xavier was appointed Apostolic Nuncio, Pope Paul III's representative to the rulers of the so-called Indies, and in little more than eleven years, he accomplished an extraordinary work.
Even if ship voyages at that time were very hard and dangerous, with many dying en route from shipwrecks or illnesses, the Pope highlighted, Xavier spent over three and a half years on ships, a third of the entire duration of his mission.
All out of love for God
Having arrived in Goa, India, the capital of the Portuguese Orient, Xavier set up his base there, but did not stop there, the Pope said. Rather, he goes out to evangelise the poor fishermen of India's southern coast, teaching catechism and prayers to children, baptising and healing the sick.
Then, during a night prayer at the tomb of the Apostle St Bartholomew, he feels he must go beyond India, and therefore, leaves for Moluccas, the most distant islands of the Indonesian archipelago, where he founded several Christian communities in two years. The Saint put the Catechism into verse in the local language and taught how to sing it.
The Pope invited faithful to read his letters, to understand better his emotion.
Great fruits in Asia
One day, in India, the Pope continued, Francis Xavier met a Japanese man, who told him about his distant country, where no European missionary had ever gone before, and decided to travel there after enduring an adventurous journey. "The three years in Japan are very hard, due to the climate, opposition and ignorance of the language," the Pope said, "but even here the seeds planted will bear great fruit."
In Japan, the Pope pointed out, "Xavier understands that the decisive country for the mission in Asia was another: China."
"With its culture, its history, its greatness," the Pope said, "it exercised de facto dominance over that part of the world."
Faced with failure
For this reason, Xavier returned to Goa, and shortly afterwards embarked again, hoping to enter China, even though it was closed to foreigners; however, he did not succeed.
Xavier died at age 46 in 1552, in total abandonment to the Lord, on the small island of Sancian, waiting in vain to land on the mainland near Canton. "Thus ends the earthly journey of Francis Xavier," the Pope said.
Pope Francis concluded by praising St Francis Xavier's exemplary prayer life, and closeness to Christ, until the very end.
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