It’s been a while since I just noted my daily readings from The Liturgy of the Hours. December 3rd was the feast day of St. Francis Xavier, and the writings of this day were inspirational to me for this Advent season.
From the letters to Saint Ignatius by St. Francis Xavier
We have visited the villages of the new converts (in India) who accepted the Christian religion a few years ago. No Portuguese live here --- the country is so utterly barren and poor. The native Christians have no priests. They know only that they ARE Christians. There is nobody to say Mass for them; nobody to teach them the Creed, the Our Father, the Hail Mary and the Commandments of God’s Law.
I have not stopped since the day I arrived…. The older children would not let me say my Office or eat or sleep until I taught them one prayer or another. Then I began to understand: “The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”… I taught them. I noticed among them persons of great intelligence. If only someone could educate them in the Christian way of life, I have no doubt that they would make excellent Christians.
Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. Again and again, I have thought of going around the universities of Europe, especially Paris, and everywhere crying out like a madman, riveting the attention of those with more learning than charity: “What a tragedy; how many souls are being shut out of heaven and falling into hell, thanks to you!” I wish they would work as hard at this as they do at their books, and so settle their account with God for their learning and talents entrusted to them. This thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities… They would cry out with all their heart: Lord, I am Here! What do you want me to do? Send me anywhere you like --- even to India!
The priest quoted some of those words when he spoke at mass this morning, and then he said was from an area in India where St. Francis had preached. The area he was born remains Christian, because of St. Francis.
In this morning’s readings were also quoted some words of St. Cyprian, bishop and martyr, who wrote on the Value of Patience:
Patience s a precept for salvation given us by our Lord, our teacher. Whoever endures to the end will be saved. And again” If you persevere in my word, you will truly be my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. Faith and hope are the very meaning of our being Christians, but if faith and hope are to bear their fruit, patience is necessary. Patient waiting is necessary if we are to be perfected in what we have begun to be, and if we are to receive from God what we hope for and believe. … Therefore, let us not grow weary in doing good, for we shall reap our reward in due season. Charity, he says, is always patient and kind, is not boastful, is not given to anger, does not think evil, endures all things. … Bear with one another lovingly, striving to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. He shows that neither unity nor peace can be maintained unless the brethren cherish each other with mutual forbearance and preserve the bond of harmony by means of patience.
(And in my own words, written in the margins: Put up with one another.) Good Advent thoughts, as we await the coming of the first Christian, Who has great patience – with us.
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