See the World

Imitating the evangelistic zeal of St. Francis Xavier

12/03/2024

Mark 16:15-20 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." So the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.

In 1942 the U.S. Navy rolled out a new recruiting slogan which stated: “Join the Navy and see the world!” The slogan appealed to people’s sense of adventure and curiosity about the different cultures, countries, and continents of the earth. Almost exactly 400 years before that, in 1540, St. Francis Xavier used that slogan as his personal motto to travel the globe and make Christian converts: “Join the Jesuits and see the world!”

St. Francis Xavier was one of the first seven men who banded together with St. Ignatius of Loyola to form the evangelization juggernaut called The Society of Jesus, or more simply, The Jesuits. Or, as we diocesan priests affectionately call them, “The Jebbies.”

Now, the Jesuits are known for many spectacular achievements, especially numerous secondary schools (one boys high school in Dallas is called “Jesuit”), and colleges like Boston College, Georgetown, all the Loyola Universities, and of course, Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH is named for St. Francis Xavier.

And the best known Jesuit today is, naturally, Pope Francis. Who, by the way, is not named for St. Francis Xavier (a fellow Jesuit), but rather for St. Francis of Assisi, because the Holy Father wants to emphasize the Seraphic Doctor’s love for God’s creation. But besides all that copious claim to fame for the Jebbies, St. Francis Xavier demonstrated that the heart of a Jesuit is not only to see the world but to convert the world to Christ.

I am personally indebted to St. Francis Xavier because of his missionary work in India and the far East. Of course, the flag of Christian faith had been planted in Indian soil and in Indian souls long before Francis Xavier by St. Thomas the Apostle. I remember asking my father many years ago how long our family had been Catholic. Lots of people ask me that question because India is not known for Catholicism but for Hinduism.

My father proudly answered, “Our family has been Catholic for 2,000 years, since St. Thomas the Apostle brought the faith to our country.” But it was the zeal of St. Francis Xavier that reignited the fire of faith in India. And also tightened the connection to the pope in Rome. The Jebbies were always fiercely faithful to the pope in Rome; indeed, they take a fourth vow of obedience to the pope.

But Francis Xavier did not stop in India. He wanted to see the world, so he traveled to China and even to Japan. It is often said that no one evangelist has converted more souls to Christ than St. Paul the Apostle. True enough. But St. Francis Xavier would be a close second. I recently counted all the people, places, and activities St. Francis Xavier is the patron saint of and it was over 55!

For example, he’s the patron of India, of Japan, of China, the Philippines, of Pakistan; he’s the patron saint of navigators, of missionaries, of the foreign mission; he’s the patron saint of Australia, of Cape Town, South Africa, of the Apostleship of Prayer, and the dizzying list goes on and on. Become a Jesuit and see the world, indeed.

In the gospel today we hear Jesus enunciating that slogan for all his followers, not just the Jebbies. He urges: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.” In other words, there are eternal consequences when we do not convert souls for Christ.

Folks, even if you have never felt the desire to become a sailor and join the Navy, or becomes a missionary and join the Jesuits in order to see the world, every Christian must do his or her part to win more souls for Christ. For instance, you can pray for missionaries, or help in a second collection for mission churches, like when we take up a second collection for Fr. Samy’s home diocese, or even study the life and legacy of relentless missionaries like St. Francis Xavier.

Think about it: our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ left the pleasure of Paradise to venture into this mission field called Earth, to suffer and die to save us. Jesus was the first Missionary. We, too, must have a love for all those who do not yet know the Lord and win more souls for Christ. The one thing we absolutely must not do is ignore this missionary mandate to see the world, at least vicariously.

Praised be Jesus Christ!