Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, priest
St. Francis Xavier, priest. Born in 1506 in the Xavier Castle, in Navarre, Spain. He studied in Paris, where he met St. Ignatius of Loyola, and was among the first group which of the Company of Jesus founded by the latter. At 35 years of age, he was sent as a missionary to the Portuguese colonies in India, Goa becoming the centre of his activities. From there, he proceeded to Japan, where he constituted the first nucleus of Christians. He next planned to carry out a mission in China, but died on the way, on the Shangchuan Island at the age of 46. He, together with St. Therese of the Child Jesus, is the patron of missions.
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Is 30:19-21, 23-26
Thus says the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem, no more will you weep; He will be gracious to you when you cry out, as soon as He hears He will answer you. The Lord will give you the bread you need and the water for which you thirst. No longer will your Teacher hide Himself, but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher, While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: “This is the way; walk in it,” when you would turn to the right or to the left. He will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground, And the wheat that the soil produces will be rich and abundant. On that day your flock will be given pasture and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows; The oxen and the asses that till the ground will eat silage tossed to them with shovel and pitchfork. Upon every high mountain and lofty hill there will be streams of running water. On the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall, The light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater like the light of seven days. On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of His people, He will heal the bruises left by His blows.
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 (R. see Isaiah 30:18d)
R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.
Praise the LORD, for He is good;
sing praise to our God, for He is gracious;
it is fitting to praise Him.
The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;
the dispersed of Israel He gathers. R.
He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.
He tells the number of the stars;
He calls each by name. R.
Great is our LORD and mighty in power:
to His wisdom there is no limit.
The LORD sustains the lowly;
the wicked He casts to the ground. R.
Gospel – Mt 9:35–10:1, 5A, 6-8
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, His heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” Then He summoned His Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons. Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Featured Saints
St. Birinus, bishop (†650). Sent by Pope Honorius I as a missionary to Britain, he preached among the West Saxons, obtained the conversion of King Cynegils and established his episcopal see in Dorchester.
St. Zephaniah (Sophonias), prophet. During the reign of Josiah, this Old Testament prophet foretold the ruin of the ipious and fortified the poor and needy in the hope of salvation.
Blessed Edward Coleman, martyr (†1678). He converted to Catholicism and served as secretary to the Duchess of York. Falsely accused of conspiracy, he was executed during the reign of Charles II.
Blessed Johann Nepomuk von Tschiderer, Bispo (†1860). Born in northern Italy to Austrian parents, he became the Bishop of Trent, and was an admirable testimony of ardent charity for his diocese during difficult times.
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