Day 90 -- Saint Francis Xavier

Francisco de Jaso y Azpilicuta was born on April 7, 1506 in Spanish Navarre. I have often wondered how people when they enter a religious order how they know which name to pick. I often wonder who I would want to pick. Saint Francis Xavier was born of nobility and studied and taught philosophy at the University of Paris, and had planned his career as a professor. But his good friend Saint Ignatius of Loyola convinced him that his talents were to spread the Gospel. Saint Francis was one of the founding Jesuits and was the first Jesuit missionary.

He went to Goa, India he preached in the streets, cared for the sick, and taught the children catechism. He walked through the streets and the kids would run up to him for their studies. He was said to have converted the entire city.

He was a great missionary in India for ten years, the East Indies, and Japan and he baptized more than 40,000 people. He got extremely sea sick, but still went to missionary territory and traveled thousands of miles and most of the time in his bare feet. He had the gift of tongues. He died on December 2, 1552 at Sancian, China of a fever that he caught on a mission journey to China, where he always want to go. He was canonized on March 12, 1622 by Pope Gregory XV.

I need to being to pray to him as he is one of the patrons for World Youth Day 2011. As we approach the new year, I am getting more excited about WYD11 in Spain! I may even be more excited since I attended in '08 and I have expectations, and that was one of the things that was holding me back to make my reservations. I didn't want to compare the two, but I know that will not be the case.


"It is not the actual physical exertion that counts towards a man's progress, nor the nature of the task, but by the spirit of faith with which it is undertaken."


PRAYER
Great Saint Francis, well beloved and full of charity, in union with you I reverently adore the Divine Majesty. I give thanks to God for the singular gifts of grace bestowed on you in life and of glory after death, and I beg of you, with all the affection of my heart, by your powerful intercession, obtain for me the grace to live a holy life and die a holy death. I beg you to obtain for me {mention your petition}. But if what I ask is not for the glory of God and for my well-being, obtain for me, I beseech you, what will more certainly attain these ends. Amen.