Daily Catholic Lectio
Monday, 4 December 2023
First Week of Advent
Saint Francis Xavier, Solemnity for India
Isaiah 61:1-3. 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23. Mark 16:15-20
All for the Gospel
Today, in India, is the solemnity of Saint Francis Xavier, our Great Father, who brought faith to our forefathers. The second reading in the Office of the Day is a letter of Saint Francis Xavier to Saint Ignatius, his Superior General. From this letter we are able to decipher the context of our Country, its poverty and illiteracy; the letter also tells us the challenges that the Saint had to endure.
There are a lot of differences between the context of Saint Francis Xavier and our context. Then, the Catholic Church asserted that salvation was possible only in the Church. It had evangelization as its priority. The mission was understood as expansion of the Church. Now, the Catholic Church recognizes the rays of truth in other faiths, and subscribes to the view that God could reveal Godself in different ways. Today the Church recommends that we live but a witnessing life. The Church teaches that ‘time is greater than space’ (cf. Evangelii Gaudium). Then, Christianity was baptism, creed, Our Father, and Hail Mary. Now, Catholic Church means church, parish priest, bishop, pope, council, synod, code of canon law, parish council, pious associations, movements, priests, religious, institutions, wealth, and properties.
There are also a lot changes in the outside world. We can’t baptize people in thousands as did Saint Francis Xavier. Today fundamentalism has become the need of the hour for all religions – every religion, including ours, is fundamental in its own way. No one wants conversion of religion. We can’t proclaim about Jesus in the streets as did the missionaries. We may be arrested for causing law and order problem.
Moreover, within Christianity there are a lot of divisions. Most often we spend our time proving to each other which ‘church’ in Christianity is the true Church founded by Christ. Even in one Catholic Church there are conflicts based on the way we worship.
We can’t conclude the homily saying ‘we must be missionaries like Saint Francis Xavier.’ This will be simplistic. Today Christianity has survival problem. Through synod, journeying together, ‘all are brothers’ it tries to find ways to become relevant to today’s society.
All the three readings of the day have the word ‘gospel or good news’ in common. In the first reading, in the passage about the Messiah, the prophet foretells that the prime duty of the anointed one will be to proclaim the Good News. In the second reading, Saint Paul describes his apostolic ministry as the ministry of proclaiming the Good News. The gospel reading brings before us the mission command of Jesus.
‘Gospel’ could be understood at three levels: ‘Jesus is the gospel,’ ‘the good news about Jesus,’ and ‘the good news preached by Jesus.’ Saint Francis Xavier proclaimed the Gospel at these three levels.
Saint Francis Xavier gives us three challenges to our ministry and life: (a) To realize that w are all anointed by the Lord and we have duty to proclaim the Good News; (b) To become all to all so that the gospel does not have any barrier; and (c) To be confirmed – not by the world – but by God. Today we drain our energy in our attempt to be confirmed or liked by the society that we live in.
Besides these three challenges, the Saint of the day, gives us 12 lessons for our personal and pastoral life: (1) Fortitude – Saint Francis Xavier, after making a decision to follow Jesus, followed him till the end, without returning to his former profession; (2) Healing – he was an integral person, and he was able to heal others; (3) Spiritual exercises – for the soul; (4) Obedience – to God, the Superior General, and the Church; (5) Lover of poverty; (6) Love for people; (7) Apostolic creativity; (8) Baptism as the starting point; (9) Empowering lay catechists; (10) Inculturation and interculturality; (11) Prayer and penance; and (12) Apostolic zeal.
May this Great Saint continue to intercede for us!
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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