Advent Meditations: Monday 3 December
| Mon Dec 3 |
am: 1, 2, 3 pm: 4, 7 |
Isa 1:10-20 | 1 Thes 1:1-10 | Luke 20:1-8 |
FEAST DAY : SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER, Missionary to the Orient , 16th Century
St. Francis Xavier was a close friend of St. Ignatius of Loyola and eventually assisted in the founding of the Society of Jesus and served as the secretary of the Society until leaving for India in 1541. His missionary travels took him to many places around the world. He traveled from Lisbon, Portugal to India and along the way assisted in many previously established missions; including those in Mozambique, Kenya, Socotra (an island off the coast of Somalia), and Goa (a district on the west coast of India – and the main Portuguese center). In 1549, Xavier began the first Christian mission in Japan where he served in the country for over two years. In 1552, he set sail to begin the first Christian mission in China. When he arrived, however, he was not allowed to disembark on the Mainland. For three months, he waited on an island off Canton while trying to enter the country. He died on the island of an acute illness at the age of forty-six.
MEDITATION– Psalm 1 offers us two paths of life, one leading to blessing and the other leading to failure. When we say we follow the Lord we must consider how we express our testimony in this world during this season. Do we separate ourselves from the materialism of this season? Are we sitting, standing or walking with the less than spiritual pathway to Christmas. Are we taking a stand for Lord this season? As we make our way this Advent season let us remember that the last verse says the Lord knows the way of the righteous. In this season of preparation, we should be mindful that it is the Lord who knows. He watches us in our secret moments. The Lord knows those who belong to Him.
PRAYER: Lord, give me the grace to make decisions for you during this holy season so that I may give a vital witness to you and your coming Kingdom. Amen
Activity/Spiritual Discipline – – As part of the Advent journey consider making it with an accountability partner, a person whom you wholeheartedly trust. You should feel comfortable praying for and with them, and they should feel the same about you. This should be a person you know won’t be gossiping about your personal struggles or joys. The person should be a healthy balance for you; in other words, you should feel like you can seek support from them as much as they do from you.
ANCIENT WORDS/PRESENT GRACE: “I will go anywhere and do anything in order to communicate the love of Jesus to those who do not know Him or have forgotten Him”.– Saint Francis Xavier
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