Francisco Javier

December 3, 2016:  St. Francis Xavier, Priest

Find 17 connections with today?
Legend below

Listen

For the gospel

• Freely, freely/ Owens:  country

• Far and near the fields are teeming/ Thompson, Clemm:  traditional, lyrics+ (gospel)

• Hark!  the voice of Jesus crying (Here I am, send me)/ March:  lyrics+ (gospel)

• Come with me into the fields/ Schutte

• 4 for Psalm 147

Pope Francis to business leaders forum

Your theme, “Forging a New Social Compact,” points to the need for inclusive and equitable economic models.  Concrete ideas and decisive action are needed now.  Thank you for promoting the centrality and dignity of the human person and for drawing attention to the plight of the poor and refugees.  When we ignore people, we deny them their rights and worth, reject their wisdom, and prevent them from offering their talents and traditions:  making them suffer more and impoverishing us.

Our world is marked by unrest:  inequality between peoples, war, poverty, displacement....  People want to express their concerns and fears, contribute to society, and benefit from resources often reserved for the few.  We live in a moment of hope:  when we recognize evil, we can seek healing.  Renewal and hope call for conversion....  We speak of the common good, the right of each person to resources and opportunities. 

Respond to injustice by promoting local and personal responsibility so no one is excluded.  Keep looking for ways to transform our institutions and structures so they may respond to today's needs and serve the human person, especially the marginalized and discarded.  Involve those you seek to help:  give them a voice, listen to, learn from, and understand them.  See their human face.

Read

• Is 30:19-21, 23-26  God will be gracious to you when you cry out; he'll answer as soon as he hears you, give you the bread and water you need.  You'll see your Teacher and hear a voice, “This is the way; walk in it.”  He'll give rain, wheat, pasture for your flock, meadows for the lambs, food for the oxen, water for everyone.  He'll bind his people's wounds and heal their bruises.

• Ps 147:1-6  "Blessed are all who wait for the Lord."  Praise the Lord, good, gracious, mighty, and wise, who rebuilds Jerusalem, gathers the dispersed, heals the brokenhearted, calls by name, and sustains the lowly.

• Mt 9:35-10:1, 5a, 6-8  Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease and illness.  Seeing the troubled crowds, like shepherdless sheep, he was moved with pity.  “The harvest is abundant but laborers are few; ask the harvest master to send laborers.”  Then he summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority:  “Go to the lost sheep, proclaiming, ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’  Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.  Give freely as you've received.”

Reflect

• Creighton:  Francis Xavier, patron of missionaries, was one of the earliest companions of the Society of Jesus.  He and several others met Ignatius of Loyola at the University of Paris where they were preparing themselves for apostolic work, and formed the Society (Jesuits).  Francis left Europe and his companions early to go to the Far East.  He worked in India, Malaysia and Japan, and he died looking ahead to spreading the Good News elsewhere in the Orient.

In today's hope-filled 1st reading, Isaiah speaks the word of God in troubled times with longing and joy and the possibilities of God’s interaction with his people, who needed a message of hope; their spirit had been buffeted.  God satisfies their basic human needs and their spiritual needs.God's promises are about to be revealed and realized.  Jesus already entered into our world in through his life, death, and resurrection; we seek to deepen his presence in our lives.  Francis took "Go and baptize" seriously, especially in the Far East....

St. Francis Xavier

• One Bread, One Body:  "Gift lists":  I want a lot for Christmas:  the sick cured, the dead raised, demons expelled, workers for the harvest, the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven, a deep relationship with Jesus for us all, baptism in the Spirit for all believers; worldwide evangelism, repentance, conversion, sanctification, and healing; an end to war, starvation, abortion, racism, and injustice; Jesus' Second Coming, new heavens and earth, to see Jesus face to face....

• Passionist:  How can we proclaim God's kingdom with our lives, among busy people exposed to "Christmas" since October who may not know the true meaning of Christmas?  We can put up a Nativity scene as a silent witness, love and reach out to others, be patient in long lines, go caroling, share time with someone grieving, help with Christmas baskets for the needy....

• DailyScripture.net:  "The kingdom of heaven is at hand":  Isaiah foretold God's kingdom would overcome adversity and bring peace and prosperity.  Jesus understood his mission to bring the kingdom to us.  The Gospel message is that God's kingdom is imminent!  God's power is at work.  In the Our Father we ask God to reign in our lives and our world.  May we let God transform us and reign in every area of our lives.  Jesus commissioned his disciples to speak God's word, heal, passing onto others what he gave them.  The kingdom is available today to those ready to receive it. If we accept God's love and mercy, heaven is in our hearts....

• Universalis:  Francis Xavier, Jesuit priest, "Apostle to the East," missionary to India, Japan, and China, made converts, fought exploitation of natives, founded Christian communities; see Loyola Press, IgnatianSpirituality, or Brodrick's biography.

Dress legend

• Blue and white in shirt: The Lord will give you the water you thirst for (1st reading); white for St. Francis Xavier

• 'Eyeball' pin:  With your eyes you'll see your Teacher (1st reading)

• 'Alps' pin:  On every high mountain will be running water (1st reading)

• 'Wheat' pin: He'll give you abundant wheat (1st reading)

• 'Sun' pin:  The light of the sun will be seven times greater (1st reading)

• 'Sheep' tie bar:  Crowds were like shepherdless sheep; go to the lost sheep (gospel); your flock will be given pasture... (1st reading)

• 'Lamb' tie bar:  ...and the lamb will graze (1st reading)

• 'Pierced hearts' suspenders:  The Lord heals the brokenhearted (psalm); Jesus' heart was moved with pity (gospel)

• 'Star' tie pin:  He tells the number of the stars (psalm)

• 'Owl' tie pin:  His wisdom has no limit (psalm)

• 'Hand' tie pin:  Proclaim, "The Kingdom of heaven is at 'hand'" (gospel)

• 'Doctor's office' tie:  God will heal their bruises (1st reading); Jesus cured every disease and illness (gospel)

• 'Car' pin:  Jesus gave his disciples authority to 'drive' out unclean spirits

• Purple in tie:  Advent season

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