Memorial of Saint
Francis Xavier, priest
(Isaiah 2:1-5; Matthew 8:5-11)
Can only a Christian be saved? Evidently St. Francis Xavier thought so. In a
letter from India he wrote that many natives wanted to become Christians but there
was no one to baptize them. He said that
he wished to go to the universities of Europe yelling to the students that their
keenness on studies has resulted in many people being consigned to hell. But is Baptism necessary for salvation?
The gospel passage indicates otherwise. Jesus is amazed at the centurion’s faith in
God. He implies that there will be many
like him coming from faraway places to take a seat at the heavenly table. Although he does not say explicitly that
these people are not his followers, he does leave this impression. The centurion shows himself worthy a member
of the Kingdom of God as much by his concern for a servant as by his deference
to Jesus.
During Advent we express our hope for Jesus’ return as
much by acts of mercy as by praying about the Advent wreath. Our efforts on behalf of others imply faith in
Jesus’ teaching that what we do to the least of humans, we do to him. At the same time we show a relationship of
care to the needy which suggests a common Father in God. Francis Xavier had a point about the need for
missionaries to teach about God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice. However, the Holy Spirit works in many ways.
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