St. Francis Xavier: Patron of Evangelization and Missions – Dec 03 – Homily – Fr Terrance

 

Fr. Terrance gives the homily at Bloomington, IN, on Dec 03, 2025, where he emphasizes the feast of St. Francis Xavier, patron saint of missionaries, by highlighting the Gospel's transformative power, the call to evangelize through words and witness, and the necessity of baptism for salvation as outlined in Scripture and the Catechism.

On the feast of St. Francis Xavier, patron of missions, Father draws from the day's readings to stress preaching the Gospel, quoting St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:16: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel,” linking it to Jesus' Great Commission in Mark 16:15: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.” He unpacks the Greek roots—evangelizomai for preaching, evangelion for good news—describing it as God's love, sin's forgiveness, life's purpose, and our conformation to Christ per Romans 8:29. Amid worldly bad news, this Gospel transforms us if embraced with mind and heart, cooperating with grace; otherwise, something's amiss, like unhealed wounds. It fosters goodness: charity, humility, mercy. Faith isn't private but shared, as God saves through us, per Vatican II's Apostolicam Actuositatem, obliging all Christians to spread salvation. Mark 16:15-16 outlines proclamation, belief, and baptism for salvation; Romans 10:14,17 show that faith comes from hearing the preachers. Sacraments, Christ's actions, ordinarily save, but CCC 1257 notes baptism's necessity where possible, yet God isn't bound by them, desiring all saved (1 Timothy 2:4). Preaching primarily via witness, as Pope St. John Paul II states in Redemptoris Missio and Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium: we're missionary disciples encountering Christ's love. Everyone preaches something—make it good news, like St. Francis Xavier, invoking Mary, Queen of Missions.

Mark 16:15 - Great Commission to proclaim - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/16?15
Romans 8:29 - Conformed to Christ's image - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/8?29
Romans 10:14 - Hearing requires a preacher - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/10?14
Romans 10:17 - Faith from what is heard - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/10?17
1 Timothy 2:4 - God desires all saved - https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1timothy/2?4
CCC 1257 - Baptism necessary for salvation - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a1.htm#1257
CCC 846 - Necessity of baptism explained - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm#846
CCC 1129 - Sacraments as salvation means - http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p2s2c1a1.htm#1257

Ave Maria!

Mass: St. Francis Xavier - Feast - http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=423
Readings:  - http://usccb.org/bible/readings/120325.cfm
1st: 1co 9:16-19, 22-23
Resp: psa 117:1, 2
Gsp: mar 16:15-20

More on the Readings: https://airmaria.com/r?m=1206

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