A Reflection on St. Francis Xavier
By Chet Jechura (’07)
On the Feast of St. Francis Xavier, I cannot help but offer a reflection on my favorite saint, the man whose name I proudly chose at Confirmation. Here was a man born into wealth and of a good name. Not only was he athletic, he was also incredibly intelligent. All the stars were seemingly in line for him to lead an extraordinary life. And he did, but not in the way he ever would have imagined. For many, college is a transformative experience. Such was the case with St. Francis Xavier. He entered the gates of the University of Paris as an arrogant jester and left as a companion of Ignatius Loyola, the man who would found the Society of Jesus.
To be perfectly honest, there was a time when I did not concern myself with knowing a lot about St. Francis Xavier. All this changed when I was in the eighth grade and found myself in the midst of the rigorous application process to St. Xavier High School, a Jesuit all-male college preparatory school in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prominently located in the front entrance to the high school, there is a massive statue of St. Francis Xavier holding high a wooden cross. On the day of my entrance examination in November of 2002, I nervously rushed past this statue of St. Francis Xavier with my mind set on doing well on the exam; space was limited in the class of 2007 and the stakes were high. Little did I know, but in less than a year, I would be sitting next to this statue every day as I waited for my mother to pick me up from school after marching band practice. The image of this statue would become for me the embodiment of the spirit of St. Francis Xavier over the course of my high school career.
As a freshman, I had the opportunity to be educated by Mr. Charlie Rodriguez S.J. and Mr. William Murphy, S.J., then Jesuits in the regency stage of formation. My very first class at St. Xavier High School was Scriptures with Mr. Rodriguez, or C-Rod as we all called him. Minutes after class commenced, we were immersed in a crash course on Ignatian Spirituality and, shortly thereafter, we were privy to learning about the lives of both Ignatius and Xavier. Later that same day, in my algebra class, Fr. Murphy imparted a daily tradition of beginning class with the Prayer for Generosity and concluding class by invoking the intercession of St. Francis Xavier. It quickly became an understanding that we were not dismissed from class until Fr. Murphy said, “St. Francis Xavier…” to which we all replied proudly and loudly, “Pray for us.”
Flash forward a couple years to December 3, 2005. Not only was it the Feast Day of St. Francis Xavier, but it was also the state championship football game. As a member of the marching band, I was able to travel to Canton, Ohio to support the Bomber football team. Recognizing the fact that it was our namesake’s feast day and it was the state game, I decided to bring a prayer card of St. Francis Xavier with me to the game in the hopes that he might help us score a touchdown or two. I prayed to him. We won the state game. I would like to think we made St. Francis Xavier particularly proud on that day.
I did not fully appreciate the life and person of St. Francis Xavier until I spent the summer of 2006 living and working in Peru, South America. I had the privilege to share the experience with nine other outstanding men and it was special to see such a transformative experience change my life and the lives of my fellow brothers. St. Francis Xavier, to me was more than just a statue, more than just a saint to intercede on my behalf. He became a model; the ultimate model of readiness, willingness and generosity.
St. Francis Xavier was sent to the far corners of the earth to be a missionary, to live a simple life, and to shed the cultural inhibitions that so bound him to his native Spain. He spent several years living and working in India. His ultimate dream was to make it to China, a dream that would never become a reality, as he died just 14 kilometers off the coast. St. Francis Xavier’s story is quite fascinating. Since he was a missionary and always on the go, he never had time to write an autobiography, nor was he able to keep detailed records of his thoughts. All we have are his letters, which provide us some insight into his inner, reflective self. This leaves a lot of mystery to the life of St. Francis Xavier, a mystery that, for me, is oftentimes difficult to grapple. Since he is my favorite saint and since I bear his name, I would like to know as much as I can about him, but I have discovered this to be a difficult task. Indeed, while mystery is something that ought to be embraced, it is also something that puzzles and oftentimes is a source of frustration. The challenge is to allow God to work in and through the mystery and to allow ourselves to be present to His calling, just as St. Francis Xavier himself was always present and ready and willing.
On June 28, 1553, St. Ignatius Loyola sent a letter to St. Francis Xavier urging him to return at once to Portugal to spearhead other missions of the Society of Jesus per the request of the King. What St. Ignatius Loyola did not know when he sent the letter was that his beloved friend and brother, St. Francis Xavier, had died nearly seven months before. It was not until October of 1555 that St. Ignatius was finally informed of St. Francis Xavier’s death. This all the more reifies the fact that St. Francis Xavier really was independent and disconnected from his community, family, and friends though he always remained close in heart, mind, and prayer.
Here was a man, now a saint, who lived his life at the complete disposal of God. He traveled to the far depths of the world, embraced cultures and peoples unlike what he was familiar with, and spoke of the truth in all he did. He opened people’s hearts and he brought them to conversion. He did not make it to China, but he never really needed to make it to China in the first place. His life gives meaning to a fulfilled vocation.
It is an honor to bear his name as I strive to do all things for the greater glory of God. Though I will not be at the annual all-school liturgy held in the Berning Gymnasium in honor of St. Francis Xavier’s feast day, I will be there in spirit with all the fellow members of the Long Blue Line. This time, I don't have to worry about forgetting to wear a tie!
St. Francis Xavier, pray for us.
Chet Jechura is a 2007 St. Xavier High School graduate now studying political science, philosophy and Catholic studies at Loyola University in Chicago.