Travel with St Francis Xavier
We're eight days into Advent - the beginning of the Church year, and the start of our annual spiritual journey. I hope you're preparing your heart for the coming of Jesus in just about three weeks.
Speaking of journeys, some of us have to travel for our work. Some like it, some don't. I've never had to travel much and when I did I hated it. My brother travels all the time and he loves it. I wonder whether St Francis Xavier liked traveling. I'm thinking of him now because it was his feast day December 3rd, last Thursday.
St Francis Xavier, follower and friend of St Ignatius Loyola, is considered the greatest missionary since the apostles. Both he and St Ignatius were canonized in 1622, 70 years after St Francis died while traveling to evangelize China. He developed a fever, after working for over 10 years converting thousands in India, Southeast Asia - even Japan! He never made it to China.
Work can get to all of us sometimes - difficulties come with any job. When it gets to me, I sometimes (I wish it were all the time!) think of saints like Francis and the difficulties of their work. Nothing I've ever done, no difficulty on the job, could compare with what Francis went through.
Then I think of his friendship with St Ignatius. They both worked to build the Jesuits; they built the Jesuits to help reform and resurrect the Catholic Church during the time of the Protestant Reformation - the so-called Catholic Counter-Reformation. As friends, they spent a lot of time apart, once St France left for his missionary work. They stayed in touch by mail - and we're not talking e-mail.
Then there's that organization St Francis was a founding member of: the Jesuits. Much as the Jesuits have had their difficulties staying faithful to the Church in recent years, for centuries they were the Pope's best friends.
Here's an amazing fact: in creating his organization to help re-build the Church, St Ignatius, with the help of friends like St Francis, wound up creating a prototype for any successful organization. Corporations today study the development of the Jesuits' organization and admire their accomplishments as an organization.
I've belonged to some organizations, but none with a track record to compare with the Jesuits.
As far as the examples I look to in my work life, St Francis stands atop those who provide the best, most real, most lasting inspiration. I can do without all the personal development training, and sales and marketing hype sessions, thank you. I'd rather read about St Francis Xavier and his bold travels and missionary work back in the 16th century.
It's kind of ironic to think today that he never made it to China. Now, over four centuries later, the United States and China are locked into an economic partnership - or is it a battle? There are millions of Catholics now in China (only a smidgen of the 1 billion+ population), many of whom are persecuted for their faith.
Four centuries later, and China still cries out for conversion. Think of St Francis and our Chinese brothers - Catholic and non-Catholic - today. Let's pray that St Francis' work is someday completed.
A friend who travels to China tells me that cities like Shanghai and Bejing are all decorated for Christmas. Stores play Christmas music. It's all to sell stuff. Most of the people don't believe in - maybe even don't know anything about - the Christ Child. Strange world sometimes, isn't it?
Meanwhile, keep on preparing your heart for Our Lord: Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts.
Speaking of journeys, some of us have to travel for our work. Some like it, some don't. I've never had to travel much and when I did I hated it. My brother travels all the time and he loves it. I wonder whether St Francis Xavier liked traveling. I'm thinking of him now because it was his feast day December 3rd, last Thursday.
St Francis Xavier, follower and friend of St Ignatius Loyola, is considered the greatest missionary since the apostles. Both he and St Ignatius were canonized in 1622, 70 years after St Francis died while traveling to evangelize China. He developed a fever, after working for over 10 years converting thousands in India, Southeast Asia - even Japan! He never made it to China.
Work can get to all of us sometimes - difficulties come with any job. When it gets to me, I sometimes (I wish it were all the time!) think of saints like Francis and the difficulties of their work. Nothing I've ever done, no difficulty on the job, could compare with what Francis went through.
Then I think of his friendship with St Ignatius. They both worked to build the Jesuits; they built the Jesuits to help reform and resurrect the Catholic Church during the time of the Protestant Reformation - the so-called Catholic Counter-Reformation. As friends, they spent a lot of time apart, once St France left for his missionary work. They stayed in touch by mail - and we're not talking e-mail.
Then there's that organization St Francis was a founding member of: the Jesuits. Much as the Jesuits have had their difficulties staying faithful to the Church in recent years, for centuries they were the Pope's best friends.
Here's an amazing fact: in creating his organization to help re-build the Church, St Ignatius, with the help of friends like St Francis, wound up creating a prototype for any successful organization. Corporations today study the development of the Jesuits' organization and admire their accomplishments as an organization.
I've belonged to some organizations, but none with a track record to compare with the Jesuits.
As far as the examples I look to in my work life, St Francis stands atop those who provide the best, most real, most lasting inspiration. I can do without all the personal development training, and sales and marketing hype sessions, thank you. I'd rather read about St Francis Xavier and his bold travels and missionary work back in the 16th century.
It's kind of ironic to think today that he never made it to China. Now, over four centuries later, the United States and China are locked into an economic partnership - or is it a battle? There are millions of Catholics now in China (only a smidgen of the 1 billion+ population), many of whom are persecuted for their faith.
Four centuries later, and China still cries out for conversion. Think of St Francis and our Chinese brothers - Catholic and non-Catholic - today. Let's pray that St Francis' work is someday completed.
A friend who travels to China tells me that cities like Shanghai and Bejing are all decorated for Christmas. Stores play Christmas music. It's all to sell stuff. Most of the people don't believe in - maybe even don't know anything about - the Christ Child. Strange world sometimes, isn't it?
Meanwhile, keep on preparing your heart for Our Lord: Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts.
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