Woe to me if i do not preach the Gospel

Treasures of Our Faith with Deacon Richard Vehige

Today, December 3, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest, we are first invited to reflect on a passage from the first letter of the apostle Paul to Tomothy (5: 17-22: 6: 10-14) entitled “The good fight of priests and men of God”. Our treasure, which follows, is from the letters to Saint Ignatius by Saint Francis Xavier, priest.

Saint Francis Xavier was born in Spain in 1506. While studying the liberal arts at Paris, he became a follower of Ignatius Loyola. In 1537 he was ordained at Rome and there devoted himself to works of charity. Francis went to the Orient in 1541 where for ten years he tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel in India and Japan, and through his preaching brought many to believe. Francis Xavier was known for his missionary work and his role in founding the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits).He died in 1552 near the China coast on the island of Sancian.

The letters that St. Francis Xavier wrote to St. Ignatius of Loyola are a valuable resource for learning about the lives of these two saints, the Jesuits, and early evangelization in Asia. The letters are full of missionary zeal, and they offer a vivid account of the challenges Xavier faced while serving in lands such as Portugal, India, Indonesia, Japan, and China.

The first letter to Timothy instructs Timothy on his duty to restrain false and useless teaching and proposes principles pertaining to his relationship with the older members of the community and with the presbyters. It gives rules for aid to widows and their selection for charitable ministrations and also deals with liturgical celebrations, selections for the offices of bishop and deacon, relation of slaves with their masters, and obligations of the wealthier members of the community. This letter also reminds Timothy of the prophetic character of his office and encourages him in his exercise of it. The central passage of the letter expresses the principal motive that should guide the conduct of Timothy—preservation of the purity of the church’s doctrine against false teaching.