mission everyday!

Today is the feast day of one of my most favorite saints,

St. Francis Xavier, SJ, the patron saint of foreign missions.

www.happysaints.com

 Co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), bff of Ignatius of Loyola, and super influential figure of inspiration to Mother Cabrini...today is his feast day! St. Francis Xavier died on Dec. 3, 1552. His body was incorrupt, was re-buried at various sites (dang, missionary life never ends!), and his right forearm - that which he used to bless and baptize the people whom he served on mission, was detached and preserved as a relic.

The dangers to which I am exposed and the tasks I undertake for God are springs of spiritual joy, so much so that these islands are the places in all the world for a man to lose his sight by excess of weeping; but they are tears of joy. - St. Francis Xavier, SJ

i know at least for me, Sister T and I looked to St. Francis Xavier a bunch during our days on mission in baguio city. i would recall how Sister T and I prepared families with knowledge and awareness of the sacrament of baptism at least a month or two prior to them actually receiving the sacrament and really emphasizing the importance of it, making sure they understood what they were doing. that it wasn't just an act with no meaning...well, we tried our best! and of course, come baptism day, those people came to receive the sacrament, as well as others from the community (some who we never met before!)....it was then that Sr. T and I would look at each other, and be like, "welp! what are you gonna do? let's just baptize em all!" our priest then did the duty, and we would just be smiling and uplifted the whole time! who are we to refuse Jesus to anyone? by no means are we gatekeepers, but we certainly had to grow into more faithful prayer warriors that the Holy Spirit would fill in the blanks and translate our english and broken tagalog into their ilokano and ibaloi dialect. :)

Today, may we wake up the bold and vigilant spirit inside of us to serve and love others in the most complete and fullest ways that we are able. there's no time to lose - there's a great world out there.

on praying to the saints:

as Timothy Cardinal Dolan said, "In prayer, we always go to Jesus. Sometimes we bring friends with us."