On Advent Route - Dec 3

December 3, 2025

Col 1:24-29; Jn 5:31-36

I am meeting a third person on the Advent Route - St. Francis Xavier (1506-1542).  From Snehasena days of the 1970s, he is familiar to me - missionary, traveller, adventurous, athletic, scholarly. We Indians have benefited from his life and service.  Definitely, Christianity in India has spread beyond the territory of Keralam and in Keralam, beyond a particular caste-like community, thanks to St. Francis Xavier and the Jesuits who followed him - especially in the spread of education - both basic and higher, as a fallout of proclaiming the good news - part of the good news package. 

I am struck by the fact that he travelled and accomplished such a great deal in a life that lasted just 46 years, and his mission in India was for just 10 years! And he was still zealous to go further east to China and beyond. 

I am not sure if he had used the Portuguese military power to spread the teachings and person of Jesus in the South Indian coasts - I guess and hope, he didn't, though he might have had the blessings of the Portuguese power, whatever it was at that time. Perhaps the Jesus message did come to those people (chiefly, Paravas of South India) as good news of liberation from the oppressive caste structures. It does remain a moot question that Indian Christianity, as of now, has not overcome the enslaving and dividing culture of caste. 

John 5:31-36 Jesus speaks today about John as a shining lamp, in whose light the people of those times found joy! That is great - a good enough challenge to be light to others, leading them to rejoice! Are my life and testimony a light to people, so that they are able to rejoice - rejoice through repentance, rejoice in renewal? How I wish if Jesus could give a similar testimony regarding me! 

But Jesus speaks about a greater testimony for himself - his own works; those works or his own life - not just the miracles, but his utterances (responses) of compassion, wisdom, correction, culturally attuned teachings, revolutionary call to a life of radical goodness, and the times he spent in prayer - communicating with his Father in Heaven!! I would love to do miracles of healing people - physically, mentally, spiritually. But even if I am not able to do that, may my sight, my speech, my daily routine, my prayers be such that they be a testimony of your presence, your power, your care! We see this spirit articulated by St Paul to the Colossians (1:24-29) about his zeal as a minister of Christ to present everyone perfect in Christ. 

Jesus has indeed testified regarding Francis in this manner, in spite of all my scepticism regarding many of the church practices, I regard acknowledging people like Francis as fit for veneration of the altar is just Jesus testifying that he was a light not just for some time, but now, forever, with hundreds rejoicing in his light. 

Today the world observes 'International Day of Persons with Disabilities', or as modern thinking goes, a celebration of 'ability'. And I find Sts John, Paul and Francis emerging as people of great ability, who overcame their limitations focusing on their strengths, and in turn, healed the disabilities of many. 

P.S. I rightly remember two saviours in my life Xavier, my father; and A. Souriar, my maternal uncle. Like Father Abraham, both of them led a life of faith - though not exactly many nations, but many children they did bring forth - 9 by the former and 8 by the latter - all of them around the planet to remember them with gratitude. Both of them gloriously lived past 90, after having seen their children, grand children, and even great grand children, the age around when Abraham began to have a hope that he was yet to have children!!