Homily: Feast of St. Francis Xavier
Feast of St. Francis Xavier “What Would I Die For”
The Jesuits are a powerful force within the church. The order started in the 16th century at the time of reformation. The church was struggling to maintain its influence as Protestant faiths grew in Europe. The laity were unhappy with the church because of the corruption they observed among the Catholic clergy. The ministers of the church seemed to give a lot of attention to the powerful but did not think much about the common people.
The counter reformation then began in the church. Many great church leaders tried to change the image of the church. One of those leaders was St. Ignatius Loyola. He developed a new form of religious life in the church. The Jesuits are often called the Popes Marines. The reason for this is that they would go anywhere and pay any price to spread the faith.
In the 16th century there was another reality that was unfolding. Vast parts of the world were being explored by Europeans. Also, there were colonies that were being started throughout the world. A tension existed between the Europeans and the different cultures around the world. Europeans were viewed with suspicion whenever they arrived in a new place.
The Jesuits believed that the Catholic Christian faith should be spread throughout the world. Jesus said to go out and make disciples in all nations. The Jesuits took this charge seriously. If they had to die in service of the Gospel, they believed it was worth it if the Christian faith grew. Some missionaries wanted to convert people by force. Others had a more nuanced approach. Francis Xavier was one of them
St. Francis Xavier was one of the original Jesuits. At the age of 35 he left his home Goa in India. He was a missionary for less than ten years, but he traveled to Japan where he established a Christian community. He then went back to Goa. He then died on a mission to China.
St. Francis Xavier died young because of the rigors of being on mission. He was willing to pay that price to spread the good news of Jesus. We remember him as the patron saint of the missions. He has institutions named after him throughout the world.
Reflection Questions:
- Is the mission of spreading the Gospel worth a person’s life? Is that attitude heroic or foolish?
- Francis Xavier respected the cultures he encountered. Do I respect the religious beliefs of the people that I meet who do not believe what I do?
Dear Parishioners,
Since Thanksgiving there have been many people in our parish who have gotten sick with COVID, pneumonia and the flu. The pandemic is not over. We will continue to try to follow protocols that are meant to keep us save. The new variant is very concerning. If you have not gotten inoculated, I would encourage you to do so. The bishops of Iowa have made the same plea. Until most of the world is inoculated, we will not get this virus under control.
Today, we had a Reconciliation Service with Seton School Children. We have not had such a service for the last 18 months. The children were very responsive, and I think they were able to leave a lot of burdens behind. Please pray for them as they continue to wrestle with the consequences of having their lives disrupted by COVID 19.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and Saints watch over you today.
Fr. Mark