Go out and preach the Gospel, just as St Francis Xavier did

Dec 17, 2015

By Aaron Lim
On December 5, the Church of St Francis Xavier (part of City Parish) celebrated the feastday of its patron saint. Mass on that day was celebrated by Fr Gerard Theraviam, rector of College General.

During the homily, Fr Gerard preached on the life of St Francis Xavier, who is one of the few saints to have set foot in Malaysia. He added that we should be thankful for the gift of saints in our lives.

“St Francis Xavier took everything in his stride, as he moved from place to place to preach the Good News,” said

Fr Gerard. He said that the saint was a perfect example of living in poverty, who engaged with local people by living a humble lifestyle just like them. “He took it as a challenge and mission, because he loved the Lord,” he said. Fr Gerard also mentioned that God’s will for all of us may differ from what we ask of Him. Let God determine the path of our lives, saying that “letting go allows us to trust in Him, and it helps  overcome all our fears and uncertainties.”

Briefly touching on Advent and the Year of Mercy, he said that everyone is called to share God’s mercy with those who have not experienced it. “Advent is a time of waiting, we are preparing and waiting for the Lord, especially for His second coming,” he said.

“But are we willing to give to God the mission He calls us to do?” Fr Gerard posed this question to the congregation with reference to the decreasing number of missionaries.

“We need to be convinc ing to others, that Jesus truly lives in us, and by that we are joyful!” said Fr Gerard. He pointed that all of us are representatives of Christ by the way we live our lives. 

Fr Gerard ended his homily by urging all to have enthusiasm in preaching the Good News. “We are all agents of God’s love and mercy, and we should be filled with zeal and energy, just like St Francis Xavier,” he said.

After Mass, Fr Gerard led the congregation into Taize prayers with the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.