St. Francis Xavier
One
Today, December 3rd, is the feast of St. Francis Xavier, one of the greatest missionaries in the history of Christianity. But Francis Xavier would never have become a saint or a missionary without his friends, beginning with Ignatius of Loyola.
Born in the Castle of Xavier in Spain in 1506, Francis went to college in Paris. It was there that he met St. Ignatius of Loyola a former military officer who was wounded in battle and converted as he convalesced.
Ignatius of Loyola took the initiative to develop a deep friendship with Francis Xavier and five others: St. Peter Faber, Simao (See Mau) Rodriques, Alfonso Salmeron, Diego Lainez, and Nicholas Bobadilla. These seven friends shared life together.
In a letter of June 16, 1547, Diego writes, “Every few days we would take our provisions and eat at the home of one of the companions, and after that at the home of another. We would visit each other often, and I think this helped us to stay close. In this time the Lord gave us special help with our studies, in which we did fairly well, directing them always to the glory of the Lord and to the help of our neighbors. We had a special love for one another, and we even helped one another financially as much as we could.”
These seven friends, with Ignatius of Loyola at the head, became the Company of Jesus, otherwise known as the Jesuits. And the Jesuits became some of the greatest missionaries and educators in the history of the Church.
But it all started with the friendships fostered through the initiative of Ignatius of Loyola. Ignatius gathered a little group of friends and the whole world was changed for good.
Two
Like Ignatius, Francis Xavier, and the first Jesuits, we all need companions, a small group of family or friends with whom we share life regularly and with whom we can share our faith.
The Christian family is the fundamental building block of the Church. And closely related to this is a small group of good friends.
Both the individual believer and the larger Parish and Diocese need these small communities to be healthy and vibrant. Everyone needs a small group of family and friends with whom we share life regularly to enrich each other with our strengths and stretch one another by our differences.
Do you have your family or little group of friends that you share life with regularly, habitually? Unfortunately, many people don’t. And neither would have Francis Xavier if it was not for Ignatius of Loyola who was willing to take the risk, invite strangers to get together, and then persevere in building real friendship.
That is what it takes, someone has to be willing to take the risk, to be rejected, take the initiative to invite, to gather people together, and then provide the hospitality, the meal, the drinks, the activity, and conversation.
Actually, that is where missionary work begins. It begins with the effort to build friendship in the family and beyond.
So, who are the handful of people you will invest in, become deep friends with and help them to friendship with Jesus and to do the greatest good for the world? Your spouse, your kids, grandkids, friends? Who are your companions?
Three
In 1541 St. Francis Xavier went first to India, and then Japan to bring Jesus to a continent in darkness. From India, Francis Xavier wrote this letter to St. Ignatius. These are powerful words on which to reflect.
“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 pray or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I began to understand: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
”I could not refuse so devout a request without failing in 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 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.”
These last two lines could be echoed everywhere today…but who will teach them the Christian way of life?
Four
Xavier continues his letter writing, “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 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.”
“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.”
Five
You do not need to go to India to be a missionary.
We all know people in our families, at work, at school, at the gym who are far from God. But where do we begin and what should we do? Here are three practical steps.
For most, though not all, God has already placed a small group of family and friends in our lives to invest in. But regardless, there are three principles we should follow.
The first is that you can’t sit back and wait for someone else to invite you or to build this group of people into a thriving group of family and friends. You must be proactive and take the initiative to regularly invite them to do things together: meals, walks, games…any good activity.
Second, when you are with them give heartfelt compliments on genuinely good traits and good deeds. Steer clear of reinforcing negative behaviors and don’t enter gossip.
Third, engage in substantial conversation beyond superficial topics.
For example, you might say, “Tell me about work?” and then follow up that question with one that invites them to share more deeply. Maybe ask, “Are you satisfied with your work?” And then you could go on with something like, “If you could do anything, what would you do? What is your dream?” or “What do you feel like you’re aiming towards?”
Conversations at a deeper level foster deep friendships and they become the foundation for future conversations where you can relate back saying, “Oh, you told me this is your life goal. This is your dream. How is that going along?”
So, be the one to invite, genuinely delight in them by giving compliments, and ask questions that foster deeper relationships.