[Rank]
S. Francisci Xaverii Confessoris;;Duplex majus;;4;;vide C5

[Rule]
vide C5;mtv
9 lectiones;

[Oratio]
O God, who wast pleased, by the preaching and miracles of blessed Francis, to~
add the nations of the Indies to thy Church; mercifully grant that, as we~
venerate his glorious merits, so we may also follow the example of his virtues.
$Per Dominum

[Lectio4]
Francis was of noble family, and was born in the castle of Xavier, in the~
diocese of Pampeluna, (in the year of our Lord 1506.) He was a companion of St.~
Ignatius at Paris, and one of his earliest disciples. Under his teaching, he~
learnt to become so wrapt in the contemplation of divine things, that he was~
sometimes lifted in ecstasy off the ground, which happened to him several times~
when he was saying Mass in public before large congregations. He earned these~
refreshments of the soul by the sharpest punishment of the body. He gave up the~
use not only of meat and wine, but also of wheaten bread; he lived on the vilest~
food, and ate only once every two or three days. He used an iron scourge till~
his blood ran freely; he shortened the hours of his rest, and lay only on the~
ground.

[Lectio5]
The hardness and holiness of his life had made him meet to be called to be an~
Apostle, and when John III, King of Portugal, asked Pope Paul III to send to~
the Indies some members of the then new Society of Jesus, the Pontiff, by the~
advice of St. Ignatius, sent Francis to enter on that vast field of labour with~
the powers of Apostolic Nuncio. He arrived (in India on the 6th day of May, in~
the year 1542.) When he began his work, it seemed as though God Himself taught~
him the many and difficult languages of the natives. It even happened that when~
he preached in one language to a mixed congregation of different nationalities,~
each one heard him in his own tongue wherein he was born. He travelled over~
countless districts, always walking, and often bare-footed. He introduced the~
faith into Japan, and six other countries. In India he turned many hundred~
thousands to Christ, and regenerated many chiefs and kings in the holy font. And~
notwithstanding that he was doing all these great things for God's service, so~
deep was his lowliness that when he wrote to St. Ignatius, the General of the~
Society, he did so on his knees.

[Lectio6]
God was pleased to support his zeal for spreading the Gospel with many and great~
miracles. He gave sight to a blind man. On one occasion the supply of fresh~
water failed when he was at sea, and five hundred sailors were in danger of~
perishing by thirst, but the servant of God, by the sign of the Cross, turned~
salt water into fresh, and they used it for a considerable time. Some of this~
water was also carried into different countries, and a great number of sick~
persons were instantaneously cured by it. He called several dead men to life,~
among whom was one who had been buried the day before, and who was disinterred~
by command of the saint; and likewise two others who were being carried to the~
grave, and whom he took by the hand and restored living to their parents. He had~
the spirit of prophecy, and foretold many things, remote both in place and time.~
Utterly worn out with his labours, he died full of good works in the island of~
San-Chan in the Canton River, (upon the 2nd day of December, in the year of our~
Lord 1552.) His body was buried in quick lime, and, being again taken up, was~
again buried in the same, but at the end of many months it was found entirely~
incorrupt, and sweet, and, when cut, blood flowed freely from it. From China it~
was carried to Malacca, and, as soon as it reached that place, a plague, which~
was raging there, ceased. At length, when he had become famous throughout the~
whole world for new and wonderful miracles, Gregory XV added his name to the~
list of the Saints.

[Lectio94]
Francis was born of noble family at Xavier in the diocese of Pamplona. In Paris, he joined the companions~
and disciples of St. Ignatius, and in a short time became a shining example of~
austerity of life and untiring contemplation of divine things. Paul III made him~
apostolic nuncio to India, and he traveled about through countless provinces,~
always on foot and often barefoot. He brought the faith to Japan and six other~
regions. In India he converted many hundreds of thousands to Christianity,~
cleansing many princes and kings in the holy waters of baptism. His humility was~
so great that, when he wrote to St. Ignatius, his general, he always did so on~
his knees. By many and wonderful miracles, the Lord confirmed his zealous work~
in spreading the Gospel. Finally, on the Chinese island of Sancian, he died on~
the 2nd of December, rich in merits and worn out with his labors. Gregory XV~
enrolled him among the Saints, and Pius X, appointed him the heavenly patron of~
the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and of its work.
&teDeum

[Lectio7]
From the Holy Gospel according to Mark
!Mark 16:15-18
In that time, Jesus said to his disciples: Go ye into the whole world, and preach~
the gospel to every creature. And so on.
_
Homily by Pope St. Gregory (the Great.)
!29th on the Gospels.
By the words every creature we may understand every tribe of the Gentiles. Of~
aforetime it had been said, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, (Matth. x. 5,)~
but now, Preach the Gospel to every creature, that, since the Jews had proudly~
rejected the preaching of the Apostles, that might become our gain which was the~
seal of their condemnation. But when the Eternal Truth sendeth forth His~
disciples to preach, what doth He but scatter seed over the field of the world?~
He scattereth abroad a few grains for seed, that He may afterward reap an~
abundant harvest in our faith.

[Lectio8]
The great harvest of faithful souls throughout the whole world would never have~
sprung up, if the hand of the Lord had not first scattered those chosen grains~
of preachers over the reasonable soil of men's minds. Then is written, He that~
believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not, shall be~
damned. Now, perchance, thou sayest in thine heart I believe, and therefore I~
shall be saved. True, if to thy faith thou dost add works. He only hath a living~
faith whose life doth not give the lie to his profession. It is of this that~
Paul speaketh, where he saith of certain vain believers, They profess that they~
know God; but in works they deny Him. (Tit. i. 16.)

[Lectio9]
And these signs shall follow them that believe In My name they shall cast out~
devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents; and if~
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the~
sick, and they shall recover. My brethren, these signs do not follow us. Do we,~
then, not believe? Nay. The truth is, these things were needful when the Church~
was young. That she might grow by the increase of the faithful, she needed to be~
nourished with miracles. So we, when we plant a young tree, continually water~
and tend it, till we see that it hath taken firm root in the earth but when once~
it hath taken firm root, it can grow of itself. Hence Paul saith of tongues~
Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.~
~(i Cor. xiv. 22.)
&teDeum