By Fr Antony Christy, SDB.
THE WORD AND THE FEAST – First Monday of Advent
December 4, 2023 – Celebrating the Feast of St. Francis Xavier
Ezekiel 3: 17-25; 1 Corinthians 9: 16-19, 22-23; Mark 16: 15-20
These are not the readings of the Advent weekday, because in India we commemorate today the feast of St. Francis Xavier, a great missionary, apostle and prophet who spearheaded the new phase of evangelisation of India in the 16th century. However, we need not deviate much from the advent perspective, as the ardent evangeliser too has a great advent message to offer us.
We started the first week of Advent with a project yesterday – expecting the Reign! Expecting the Reign primarily is being prepared for the Reign and all its exigencies. We have a great example in Francis Xavier who was prepared, prepared for everything and more than prepared for even laying down his life for the announcement of the Good News.
Ezekiel today insists on how proclaiming God’s word and “warning” the wicked generation is a demand placed on an apostle of the Word. Reiterates that St. Paul in his letter, underlining that it would be a reason of woe not to proclaim the Word. The Gospel reminds us of this command coming directly from the Lord and Master himself.
Especially in the second reading from St. Paul we find a incredible description of the traits of a true apostle or evangeliser – “to be all things to all people”. That is being prepared, being ready for any challenge or any demand – and for what? For my own good, for my appreciation, for a recognition of myself? No, for the sake of the call that I have received.
One mindset that we need to cultivate during this advent is – to be prepared, to grow in our preparedness, our readiness for anything, for the sake of the “Message” entrusted to us – the Good News to all creation!
Fr Antony Christy is a Salesian Priest from 2005, who has a Masters in Philosophy (specialisation in Religion) and a Masters in Theology (Specialisation in Catechetics). He has completed his doctoral research in Theology at Salesian Pontifical University, Rome. Walking with the Young towards a World of Peace and Dialogue is the passion that fires him on.