The Life of St. Francis Xavier

Mission Activities in Goa

Miracle Worker

 

Francis Xavier continued to journey by ship across the Indian Ocean, from Goa to Borneo.  He visited the splendid temples of India and he made an extra special effort to get to know the religious thinking of the local people in order to overcome the difficulties that were being raised by the Brahmans.

 

Francis had a deep devotion to God and the Virgin Mary, and he prayed through the night. There are also stories of miracles attributed to him. As a result, the number of people turning to Christ and asking for Baptism grew day by day.

 

On one island, a couple felt bad because they had four daughters, and not a single son. A catechist referred the case to Francis, and he sent them a message exhorting them to have faith in God, and assuring them that the son they wanted so badly would certainly be born. In due time, the couple gave birth to their first son, then their second, and their third son!

 

A child fell into well and drowned. When they were about to bury hi, his sobbing mother took him in her arms and sought "the priest who worked miracles." When Francis saw the dead child and the heartbroken mother, he raised his eyes to heaven and prayed. Life returned to this child.

 

Another time, a young man who helped Francis with religious instructions to the catechumens and the new Christian communities, was bitten by a poisonous snake. Francis visited him and prayed beside him; soon after, he was restored to health.

 

At the end of a Mass in the hut of a fishing village, a number of Arab bandits appeared and wanted to ransack that village. In the midst of panic, Francis yelled out to the Christians gathered: “Do not be afraid! The Lord is with us!” Francis stared at the bandits, and silence fell upon them. Somehow, the leader turned his horse around and ordered his people to retreat!

 

Because of these events, Francis was invited by the Raja of Travancore to stay at his palace. Travancore is the most historic region of India, and the Raja was an affluent landlord of the region. Francis would devote his energies to converting his subjects. These are the people who tell the famous legend about Francis Xavier.

 

When Francis was on board of a ship, a great storm arose. The Malaccan sailors were terrified and ran to Francis begging him to save them. Francis clasped his mission cross, knelt at the edge of the boat and touched the sea with his cross. But the cross fell into the troubled waters… and disappeared. The crew and passengers arrived safely at shore, but Francis felt heartbroken over the loss of his mission cross. On the following morning, while Francis walked along the beach reciting his prayers, a lobster crawled out of the ocean with Francis’ cross in its claws. It left the cross on the beach, and then disappeared back in the ocean.

 

Beyond miracles, Francis exhorted the people he met every day to follow the example of Christ. Once there was a Portuguese soldier named John who was illegally searching for spices and minerals along the cost of Malacca. Francis approached him, and pointed his wrongdoings.

 

After some time, John asked forgiveness to God, and let go of the Muslim woman he was keeping aboard his ship. Even in the midst of struggle, his repentance was so sincere that John helped Francis by putting his ship and crew at Francis disposal. And because of his change of heart, even the Muslim woman was baptized by Francis, and took the name of Fatima.

 

 

Building the Church

 

In Malacca, Francis Xavier once again set up his headquarters in a Hospital. He wanted to be near the sick whom he valued as the greatest benefactors to humanity. In this hospital were people from all parts of Asia, Malasians, Chinese, and Japanese. He took advantage of their presence to study their different languages.

 

One of his companions wrote, “I have never met anyone more filled with faith and hope, more open-minded than Francis. He never seems to lose his great joy and enthusiasm. He talks to both the good and the bad. Anything he is asked to do, Francis does willingly, simply because he loves everyone.”

 

Francis’ main concern was their souls. Early one morning, he boarded a ship of his friend John, and set out for the thousands of islands stretching to New Guinea and Indonesia. Francis landed whenever he came across a village on one of these islands scattered like gems on the blue ocean. He preached, baptized, confirmed, blessed marriages, instructed catechists and built halls to be used for meetings and for the Eucharist. In this work, he was often helped by Philippine families that had become Christian at the time of Magellan.

 

Francis Xavier also welcomed Mexican crews from Spanish traders’ ships. As it was customary, a priest or chaplain sailed with these ships, and these became part of the missionary team of Francis. Even some Jesuits from Spain and Portugal joined him, and Francis felt free to travel to new lands and set up the Church even there.

 

A merchant named Alvarez introduced Francis to a Japanese friend named Yagiro. Yagiro told Francis he was convinced many Japanese would praise Francis for his good works, and would enjoy listening to what he had to say about Christianity.

 

It opened a new horizon for Francis, as he describes it in his letter to Ignatius: “I am determined to go to Japan together with three young men I recently instructed and who came with me from Kuching. They are Yagiro, whom I baptized Paul of Santa Fe, Manuel who is Chinese, and Amador from Malabar. I will sail with Domingo Diaz, a Portuguese sailor. Their generosity is great, indeed.”

 

 

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