Mass Readings:
Jer 1:4-9, Ps 71 Lk 10:1-16
Key verse to Meditate:
Now after
this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them two and two ahead of Him
to every city and place where He Himself was going to come (Lk 10:1).
Dear brothers and
Sisters in the Lord,
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Apostle
of the Indies and Apostle of Japan, St.
Francis Xavier, who is considered one of the greatest
missionaries since the time of St. Paul. He was born in Javier, Spain, on 7
April 1506. A close companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola, he was one of the
first seven Jesuits who took vows of poverty and chastity at Montmartre, Paris,
in 1534, and he later became the co-founder of the Society of Jesus.
St. Francis Xavier was a zealous missionary
during the Portuguese regime, evangelizing vast regions of Asia—especially
India—and later Japan, Borneo, and the Maluku Islands. He achieved remarkable
success in his missionary work in India, though he faced greater challenges in
Japan and other regions. His heart burned with an immense passion to preach the
Word of God and to bring countless souls to the Christian faith.
St. Francis Xavier died in China during his final
missionary journey to Shangchuan Island. Because of his extraordinary
missionary zeal and tireless evangelization, the Church honours him as the Apostle
of India and Apostle of Japan, and names
him co-patron of all foreign missions alongside St. Thérèse of Lisieux. After
his death on 3 December 1552, he was beatified by Pope Paul V on 25 October
1619 and canonized by Pope Gregory XV on 12 March 1622.
In Luke 10:21, Jesus praises the Father for
revealing the mysteries of the Kingdom to the lowly and to those receptive to
the Holy Spirit. We can see this divine delight manifested in the humble and
generous heart of St. Francis Xavier. He was sent to India—an immense mission
territory—without knowing its languages or culture. Yet, in just about ten
years, he travelled thousands upon thousands of kilometres, overcoming enormous
difficulties and reaching multitudes in diverse regions and tongues. His zeal
for the Lord and His Kingdom carried him through every hardship.
His missionary journeys were long and dangerous.
Unafraid of any trial, he travelled tirelessly to countless cities and
villages, preaching the Gospel. Moved by the urgency of spreading God's
Kingdom, he journeyed also to the Moluccan Islands. He returned to India to
strengthen the fruits of his missions, organize communities, and encourage his
companions. Later, he ventured to Japan, where he once again travelled in harsh
winter and summer, enduring fatigue and hardship for the sake of Christ. After
returning from Japan, his heart was drawn toward evangelizing China. It was
while attempting to enter that vast land that he died on the island of Sanchian
in 1552.
St. Francis Xavier accomplished all this because
of his extraordinary spiritual dynamism—a strength he drew from deep prayer and
his intimate union with the Lord.
The Gospel Reading
In today’s
Gospel, we witness Jesus sending out seventy of His disciples ahead of Him to
the towns and villages He intended to visit. Their task was to prepare the
people to receive the Lord. It is likely that many of these towns were
Samaritan settlements—places where the reception of Jesus' message could be
uncertain, either warm or hostile. Aware of this, Jesus gives the disciples
clear and urgent instructions.
He begins by
emphasizing the magnitude of the mission: “The harvest is plentiful,
but the laborers are few; therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send out
laborers into His harvest” (Lk 10:2). The implication is clear—the
task of evangelization is immense, and more workers are needed. Even seventy
are not enough to carry the Good News to the ends of the earth.
Jesus prepares
His disciples not only for the work but also for the dangers they will
face. “I am sending you out like lambs among wolves” (Lk
10:3). This striking image speaks of vulnerability and danger. Yet, despite the
threat, they are not to rely on human resources or comforts. He tells
them: “Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the
road” (Lk 10:4). They are to be radically dependent on God and on the
hospitality of those they encounter—true followers of a penniless preacher.
Messengers of Peace
The first
action of the disciples, upon entering a house, must be to offer peace: “Peace
to this house” (Lk 10:5). They are bearers of divine peace. If the
household is receptive, the peace will rest on it; if not, the blessing will
return to them. Jesus also instructs them to stay in the home that welcomes
them—not to move from house to house seeking better hospitality. They are to
accept with gratitude whatever is offered, showing contentment and simplicity.
Curing the Sick and Proclaiming the Kingdom
The disciples
were empowered to heal the sick and to proclaim: “The kingdom of God
has come near to you” (Lk 10:9). Even in the case of rejection, they
are not to be discouraged. They are to publicly shake the dust from their feet
in protest and still declare: “Yet know this: the kingdom of God has
come near” (Lk 10:11). Rejection of the messenger is ultimately
rejection of the message—and of Christ Himself.
Jesus warns
that the towns which reject His messengers will face a harsher judgment than
Sodom. This solemn warning emphasizes the seriousness of responding to God's
call with faith.
The Authority of the Disciples and the Joy of
Mission
The mission of
the seventy echoes that of the twelve (Lk 9:1). Upon their return, the
disciples are overjoyed: “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in
Your name!” (Lk 10:17). Jesus confirms their experience by sharing His
own vision: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Lk
10:18). This apocalyptic image reveals that their ministry is an extension of
Jesus’ own triumph over evil. The kingdom of God is breaking in, and Satan’s
dominion is collapsing.
Jesus grants
them spiritual authority: “I have given you authority to tread on
snakes and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will hurt
you” (Lk 10:19). This echoes Old Testament promises (cf. Ps 91:13;
Deut 8:15) and affirms that God will protect them as they carry out their
mission.
Yet, Jesus
refocuses their joy: “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you,
but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Lk 10:20). The
true reward of discipleship is not power or success in ministry, but eternal
life. Our joy must be rooted not in our accomplishments, but in our belonging
to God’s kingdom.
The Ongoing Conflict and the Call to Fidelity
The mission of
the disciples is not without resistance. The fall of Satan reminds us that
there will always be a conflict between good and evil, between the Kingdom of
God and the kingdom of darkness. But Christ’s victory is assured. The Church,
as the Body of Christ, continues this mission and must be ready to face
opposition with courage, compassion, and peace.
Points for Personal Reflection
- In
today’s world, you and I are part of the seventy sent out by Jesus. Am I
ready to be a herald of the Good News?
- In
Isaiah, the Lord promises peace to Jerusalem like a river (Is 66:12); in
Galatians, Paul extends peace to all who are a new creation in Christ (Gal
6:16); and in the Gospel, Jesus commands His disciples to speak peace into
every house they enter (Lk 10:5). Is my heart at peace with God? Am I in
the state of grace to receive and share this divine peace?
- Do I
truly recognize that the kingdom of God has drawn near to me (Lk 10:9,11)?
Does my life reflect this nearness?
- In
my ministry and Christian living, do I focus on outward achievements—or do
I rejoice in the deeper truth that my name is written in heaven?
Conclusion
The
constant reminder of Ignatius of Loyola to Francis Xavier finally bore fruit:
"For what will a man be profited, if he gains the whole world, and
forfeits his soul? (Mt 16:26). From the life of St. Francis, we learn that all
of us have the missionary vocation to proclaim Christ. What is important is to
give personal testimony of faith by being great in small things. We can imagine
that amount of troubles that he would have gone through in order to take Christ
to the ends of the earth.
We have now begun the season of Advent,
a time that invites us to reflect on the mystery of a God who desires to
communicate with humanity. Jesus came to us, leaving His heavenly abode with
the Father, travelling an infinite distance to bring God’s message of love.
During His Galilean ministry, He did not wait for people to come to Him;
instead, He went out to the poor, the abandoned, the sick, sinners, widows, and
children. He proclaimed the Kingdom of God to each one of them.
It
is our turn now following the good example our Lord and Saviour and of St.
Francis Xavier. we must act in the same way, that in our ministry of
evangelization and preaching ministry, we don't wait for others to come to us,
but that we go to them. The Gospel on
the feast day of St. Francis is both a consolation and a challenge. It assures
us that God accompanies us in our mission, empowering us with His Spirit. At
the same time, it calls us to radical trust, simplicity, peace, and
perseverance. Let us embrace the joy of the Gospel, live with a missionary
heart, and always remember: our truest reward is not what we do for Christ, but
that we belong to Him.
Do
I have the same zeal and the fire of St. Francis Xavier to proclaim and make
known the message of Christ?
