Reflection for Ateneo High School Faculty

Mula kina Tyron Casumpang at Aileen Ani ng Kagawaran ng Filipino

Reflection AHS

Reflection for Ateneo High School Faculty

Math Subject Area Reflection
Jeremias A. Endrina, Jr.
May 17, 2010

Good morning!

A couple of weeks ago I was asked to give a reflection in behalf of the Math Subject Area. This brought me less sleep hours at night thinking of what the reflection would be and how would I communicate it. I was pressured by the reflections given last week. I’m neither sensibly funny like Sir Enzo, part of the main cast of Igkas like Maam Jovy (I was with the cut and paste committee) nor did I cast my vote last elections (I was registered in Bukidnon and nobody was willing to sponsor my fare.) Not until I had my shower last friday that I remembered some thoughts shared to us by Dr. Jaguthsing Dindyal, our Ateneo-Singapore Workhop Speaker. I reflected on those points that same day, which made me think of so many things during the last day of the seminar-workshop. I am sorry for that. Nevertheless, the workshop was all worth it. I was able to reflect and prepare for this morning’s reflection.

I will share what I have reflected about three “don’ts” on assessing student learning. I would like to emphasize that I got these from the words of Dr. Jaguthsing Dindyal. After my reflection, I will show a video for synthesis and post questions for individual reflection. We will then end with a prayer.

The following are the points that struck me during the workshop:
1. don’t rely in assessing student learning on one source of information;
2. don’t conduct a test to penalize weak students rather conduct a test to assess students' learning;
3. don’t give credit to correct answer with incorrect solution for obviously you cannot have an accurate answer if your method is wrong.

First, don’t rely in assessing student learning on one source of information. You might ask, what makes it striking? Let me tell you some of my teaching experiences in my first year here in the Ateneo. For reasons I do not know, I was blessed with challenges last school year. I had the “makukulit, nakaka-inis at nakaka-asar,” students. Sorry for the descriptions. It was my first time, in my three years of teaching, that I felt some pains in the neck whenever I get mad at my students - I hope it won’t lead to hypertension later on. Most of the time, for lack of a better term, I call them “basura” at the back of my mind. Which would trigger my conscience saying, “je, hindi yan magandang gawain.” It is but right for a teacher to reprimand students who often sleep in class, fail most of the long tests and worse, feel tired about their life. One day a student, not one of those unruly ones, a Math achiever in fact, approached me and shared something about a problem his family went through these past few months. He shared that he might not be able to perform well in class because he is bothered and disturbed about it. I didn’t expect something like this from a student like him. My impression of him is that he is a happy-go-lucky person. Now, I learned that not all of what my students show and do are true. They could be facades of what they experience at home. And that I should not judge them for who they are because of what I see in them. This experience echoes what Mr. Bilog said: students who often have sanctions are the same students who experience difficulty at home, and who we are right now is a product of what we have experienced in the past (Sean Covey; 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens).

I would like to add that although my experiences shaped me to become who I am today, I believe that I still have the freedom to reshape it the way I want it to be. I can choose not to be controlled by my life experiences rather I learn from them and soar to greater heights. My students might not understand this by now. But as a teacher, I can start making them feel that they are more than what they say and do in school. I will not rely on one-sided information to know them better. To understand them is to be convinced with the idea that they are more than what they show in class.

Second, don’t conduct a test to penalize weak students but to assess students' learning. I confess that I sometimes violate this sacred principle of assessment. Looking back, I would sometimes wish that the unruly students would fail in all assessments I conduct, so that the agony of always reprimanding them will come to an end. I would at times find pleasure in the low scores of my unwanted students. And worst, I would box them as the “no wonder why” students. Sad to say, even though they do not do homework regularly, these same students have more than enough ability to pass the subject.

Last Thursday after the workshop, around 4:30pm, Senator Jinggoy Estrada entered the MST workroom with Sir Jerry Pavia. We were all star struck by his presence that when I passed by him my only thoughts were, “ah, si Jinggoy.” Maam Jo, who was then talking to Patrick, did not stop uttering words as a reaction to what she saw even though Patrick did not anymore understand what Maam Jo was saying. The day after that, I learned that Jinggoy’s son will be studying in our school and could possibly be one of my students. Since I don’t really like Jinggoy, my reaction was “sana hindi ako” and “kung ako magiging guro ng anak hiya, humanda siya sa akin.” How bad those thoughts were. I’m afraid that if I won’t put a stop to it, neither will I be happy with my second year of teaching here in the Ateneo nor he, the son of Senator Jinggoy, will have a meaningful experience of . “Thoughts become things,” a famous line from the documentary entitled The Secret. Because I have a negative impression programmed in my mind about some of my students and Senator Jinggoy, I begin to translate it in not so good ways. I start to notice more of the negative in them. I set out to be very critical on what they do. I embark on thinking about punishing them as a form of revenge. For sure, I will be the one who will have less in this game because I will fail to enjoy their company as my students.

Third, don’t give credit to a correct answer with an incorrect solution for obviously you cannot have an accurate answer if your method is wrong. This made me think of the correct way of learning about life. Is it through the school? Is it through other people? Or is it through experiences? Either way, I am sure that my students taught me a lot about life. My first year teaching experience here in the Ateneo is something that I should be thankful for. Although it was a roller coaster ride, I believe it has molded me to become a better teacher. I strongly believe that my being here is part of the correct method that constantly makes me learn things. And in faith, I believe it was Him who planned all these. He is indeed the greatest teacher - He who deserves all the credit. To Him be the glory! My students, Senator Jinggoy, Dr. Dindyal, my colleagues in the Math Subject Area were instrumental to who I am today – better teacher, better worker and better person. Plus ten to them! I would like to say the words shared to us by Fr. Rudy Fernandez, “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.”

Now, I would like to show a video clip as a synthesis of my reflection. The video clip was created from a fictional story written by Elizabeth Silance Ballard published in 1974 by Home Life Magazine entitled "Three Letters from Teddy."

(Show video clip.)

Before the closing prayer, I would like us to spend few minutes reflecting on the following questions:
a. What has been my greatest lesson this past school year?
b. How did God manifest His teachings to me?
c. What do I hope for this coming school year?


Prayer:

Loving God, you believed in me that’s why you entrusted me with a great responsibility of molding not just the mind but the whole person of my students. Give me the grace to open my heart to every student under my care. Bestow me with your wisdom to transcend with the realities of life. Fill me with your Holy Spirit to sustain the strength in me. I thank you for the daily opportunity of becoming a better person for my students. May I be faithful to Your plan here on earth as I try to follow the example of Your Son Jesus Christ, the greatest Teacher. Amen.

In You I find my Home

Amelia Camile Solmerin


Never thought this is possible Lord
that as tears are streaming down
my heart is smiling
for now I finally celebrate
with conviction
I am your beloved

The events in my life maybe hurtful
even scary Lord
My heart maybe reasonable frustrated

Left on my own
I would have long
fallen apart, torn to pieces
ending up worthless

Yet as I lay crying in my bed
You gently lull me to sleep
Each morning you nudge me back
to my senses

I have all the reasons
to stay in bed
wallowing in pain
file my complaints

Yet each new day
You send me persons
so much more wounded
than I am
reminding me it is for
love that You meant that life to be

In my weaknesses, You strengthen me
In my brokenness, You mend me
In my emptiness, You fill me
with tremendous love
beyond human measure

The nagging pain inside is grace
for my bruised heart
my wounded spirit
lead me to stretch out my hand
and receive your embrace

I will stumble and fall
but You who formed in
my mother's womb
enfused my veins
with love

My broken heart
throbs for you
My Eternal home
Amen

Reflection: AHS Faculty Retreat 2010

It’s been some years since I’ve had a good retreat; I think 2005 was the last one that I truly encountered God’s presence and this was in the Betania Retreat House in Baguio. Prior to this last retreat, I went to the Pink Sisters in Hemady to ask for prayers that I may again experience God just like the way I saw Him in 2005. I was not disappointed.

I was angry about some things when I boarded the bus going to Tagaytay. I thought that I will not have a good one again because I was distracted and it was difficult to concentrate on God’s love when I was thinking about people who irritate me and who I irritate in return. I’m sure that my Spiritual Director was not happy with our first session because I had nothing but angst and he must either had been very disappointed or very challenged. I told him about my difficulty in focusing in my prayers, that my mind would wonder off about so many things. My Spiritual Director advised me to focus my eyes on the crucifix or on a lighted candle to keep my mind off from any other thoughts. The crucifix or the lighted candle would help me go back to Jesus image. I was also told that if my prayers keep on talking about myself, then it is not a good prayer. I had doubts that I’ll have a good one.

In my first prayer in the chapel, just when I started to talk about my problems there was a compelling voice more forceful than mine telling me to forget about my concerns because these are already known by Jesus. Instead, I was told to listen to Him, focus on my relationship with Him, and use it as a bonding time for the two of us. He told me that my problems were not important, that there were things more important to settle and that was for me to build on a strong relationship with Him. I asked, okay then, what ought I to do. My eyes were fixed on the crucifix thinking about the Man whose outstretch arms are reaching out for the entire humanity. Suddenly, my issues no longer mattered, there was only Jesus and myself. I was given an assurance that he takes care of me and that He is constantly on my side and will never leave me. I finished my prayer with a feeling of lightheartedness all personal issues about some people forgotten.

During the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament that night, as I gazed at the crucifix and was wondering how God can listen to so many of us, how he can be mindful of all of us. The silence was deafening and the dimmed lights created an atmosphere of a Holy ground. In a few minutes I can feel His presence all over the place, not just on the Cross and I knew that He is so vast and we are tiny dots compared to His greatness. Later, I came to a realization that if the Jesus hanging on the Cross is chopped to the smallest pieces possible, there is enough for everyone to share just like in the multiplication of the bread. If we squeezed His blood, it will continue oozing until each one of us has drunk it just like what He offered during the Last Supper. Then suddenly, I got the surprise of my life as I saw Jesus with so much brilliance in all His splendor approaching me from the back. It was fast because in so short a second, I saw Him from the back of the upper part of my shoulders and entering my body lowering Himself at the back of my chest moving forward and suddenly settled not in my heart but in my gut. I always thought that Jesus’ place is in the heart, I did not understand this location at all. My tears were falling but I can vividly see Jesus looking up at me from my gut with a very tender eyes. At that moment, there was only Jesus and myself again. In the silence of the night, Jesus has entered my body and I asked Him to stay and I was wondering how to lock Him up inside. I went to sleep very serenely that night.

On Day 2, I was in the chapel at 2:30pm. Fifteen minutes later, the sun dimmed and there was a great silence and a feeling of contentment, peace and security in Jesus. I started to read Isaiah 43, thus, says the Lord… Fear not for I have redeemed you, when you passed through the water I will be with you, in the rivers you shall not drown. Then I noticed that I was no longer directing the reading but there was a male voice reading the passage and I was following His very slow phase. The voice was very masculine and very clear. I continued to follow the reading and I felt very contented, consoled and secured in the love of Jesus. At that moment, I still did not think that it was Jesus voice and continued to contemplate on the psalm. Then the voice disappeared and I was in awe at that time when I realized that the voice must have been Jesus’ voice. I wanted to hold on to that moment but the feeling disappeared. A little while later, I smelled something sweet but not very intense. In the Baguio retreat I mentioned earlier, I encountered God through the sense of smell. So, I said, “No, this is too much.” I continued to fix my eyes on the Cross, there was a sweet smell again, still not very intense. After a few seconds, the sweet smell became very intense I became so excited and I said, “Oh my God, you’re here, you’re here. This is too much.” My tears started to roll and time stood still. There was so much peace, joy and contentment and it was as if nothing and no one existed in the world except myself and Jesus. Then, suddenly, the sweet, fragrant smell disappeared. Later that night as I went to sleep, I remembered about the two apostles at Emmaus. Jesus disappeared when they realized that it was Jesus to whom they were talking too.

I was already in high spirits with the encounters I’ve had. So that when there was again the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament the second night I thought that my prayers will already be dry. But I was mistaken. As I looked at the Cross again, the picture of Jesus in my gut came back. I saw Him becoming bigger and slowly moving out of my body and this time I became smaller and He enveloped me, we had exchanged places, I was in His gut. The picture stayed on for a while then it disappeared. Later on I came to a realization that since Jesus envelopes me, I am very much protected that when someone hurts me, He is the first line of defense. In the same manner the same thing is true for the rest of us, if I try to hurt someone then it must be Jesus I hurt first. We inflict wounds on one another not realizing that we are all hurting Jesus Himself. I came to realize that Jesus envelops me at all times but He is inside when my worldly concerns become my priority. He looks up from my gut with pity knowing that issues, fears, pain, and sometimes even joy cover His presence and remains lock up inside. But when I am focus with His presence, His real place is outside as He envelops me, protecting me from anything and anyone that may harm me. He envelops me whenever He is my priority

Truly this God that I encountered in this retreat was a God of surprises. He came to me when I was not expecting Him and His image is forever imprinted in my mind. He appeared as a King in all splendor and glory, His beauty is beyond words and His face was full of compassion and mercy.

My encounters with Jesus are a challenge for me. Knowing that He is inside my body, I have become aware that I ought to do as He does and follow what He says is the greatest commandment and that is to love one another as He has loved us.

Will I live to the challenge? It remains to be seen as I continue with the many human struggles…

Anonymous

Novena of Grace

Eighty-one years after he passed away in the island of Sancian, St. Francis Xavier appeared to Fr. Marcello Mastrilli, a Jesuit at the point of death. Several days earlier, Fr. Mastrilli was supervising the removal of a temporary structure put up in celebration of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A hammer slipped from the hands of a worker perched near the top of the structure and hit Fr. Mastrilli on the head, injuring him gravely.


Nobody expected Fr. Mastrilli to survive. As he himself waited for death, Fr. Mastrilli was visited by St. Francis Xavier who told him:

"All those who implore my help daily for nine consecutive days, from the fourth to the twelfth of March, and worthily receive the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion on one of the nine days will experience my protection and may hope with entire assurance to obtain from God any Grace they ask that is for the good of their souls and the glory of God."

St. Francis also bade Fr. Mastrilli to renew a vow he had made in his youth--to go to Japan and help spread Christianity there. As the vision left him, Fr. Mastrilli stood up fully healed and more resolved than ever to witness to the Kingdom of God in Japan. At that time, missionaries were being tortured and martyred in Japan in the most gruesome ways imaginable. But still Fr. Mastrilli ventured to the Land of the Rising Sun. Before he left, he made sure to publicize his miraculous cure and the promise St. Francis Xavier had made.

Fr. Mastrilli led a courageous band of thirty-three Jesuits to Japan. They had hardly landed there when they were seized, tortured, and hung upside down over a volcanic pit. Fr. Mastrilli faced death again. For certain, St. Francis Xavier was with him, strengthening his faith until the very end.

When can you say a miracle has happened? Not only when there is an unexplained cure, but more so when there is an increase of faith, hope, and love in a person. Truly, a miracle happened to Fr. Mastrilli!

Are you also seeking a miracle? Are you also seeking greater faith, hope, and love? Perhaps, the Novena of Grace can help you...

What is the Novena of Grace?

A novena is a traditional expression of our faith in the communion of saints, one of the beliefs we profess whenever we say the Apostle's Creed. As Catholics, we hold that the faithful here on earth, the souls in purgatory, and our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven have a spiritual solidarity. We are united because we are all part of the Mystical Body of Christ ("saints" in the phrase "communion of saints" does not refer only to those who have been canonized but to all the members of the Body of Christ). Our prayers for the souls in purgatory have value and meaning just as we here on earth (and also those in purgatory) can depend on the effectiveness of the prayers of our glorified brothers and sisters in heaven.

Following the promise of St. Francis Xavier to Fr. Mastrilli, a novena is said beginning on March 4 and ending on March 12, when we celebrate the canonization of St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis. Because of the innumerable graces and favors received through the intercession of St. Francis Xavier, this devotion came to be known as the Novena of Grace.

How do you say the Novena of Grace?

The short form consists of either the traditional or the more contemporary wording below:

Saint Francis Xavier Novena Prayer

Traditional

O most kind and loving saint,
in union with you, I adore the Divine Majesty.
The remembrance of the favors
with which God blessed you during life,
and of your glory after death,
fills me with joy; and I unite with you
in offering to God my humble tribute
of thanksgiving and of praise.
I implore of you to secure for me
through your powerful intercession
the all important blessing of living
and dying in the state of grace.
I also beseech you to obtain the favor
I ask in this Novena:

(-state your intention here-)

But if what I ask
is not for the glory of God
or for the good of my soul,
obtain for me what is most conducive to both.


Amen.


(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)


Concluding Prayer:
O God,
who was pleased to gather
unto your Church
the people of the East
by the preaching and miracles
of blessed Francis,
mercifully grant that we
who honor his glorious merits,
may also imitate
the example of his virtues,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

Contemporary Wording

I join with you, Saint Francis,
in bowing before the God of all Creation.
When I look at the great things
you did during life,
I see what marvels can be achieved
by a person blessed by God.
I join with you in praising God
and giving thanks for all the good things
I have been given.
Dear Saint Francis,
please pray to God for me
and ask that I may live and die
in God’s favor.
Please ask God for me for

(-state your intention here-)

provided, of course,
that this would be good for me.
In the end, my only wish is
for whatever gives glory to God
and is good for my health in body,
mind and spirit.

Amen.

(Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be...)


Concluding Prayer:
O God, you used Francis Xavier
to take the Christian message to the East.
You inspired his teaching,
supported him in his work
for the poor, sick and oppressed,
and strengthened him
in times of loneliness and trial.
May we who are inspired
by the life of Saint Francis Xavier
imitate his virtues,
and come to our eternal joy with you,
through Christ our Lord. Amen.


There is also a longer form that includes nine meditations on the life of St. Francis Xavier, one for every day of the novena. To be guided through these meditations, visit Sacred Space, the prayer site run by the Irish Jesuits, by clicking here.

Spread the word about the Novena of Grace. Tell your friends about it by using our referral form below, or by clicking on the mail icon near the top of this page. You can also print this page or save it as a PDF file by clicking on the corresponding icons beside the title of this article.

Repost from www.phjesuits.org

“Top Seven Nevers To Bring with You to College and Beyond.”

By Esperenza Chee-kee

# 7. Never take yourself so seriously . In fact, be the first to laugh at yourself. How do you think I survived 40 years in this school?

# 6. Never stop learning. Remember knowledge doubles every two years. The info you googled last year may be obsolete by now and where would that leave you?

# 5. Never lose sight of who you are and whose you are and you’ll journey through life with the best Companion – He Who will direct your life according to His Grand Design.

# 4. Never neglect your parents and never doubt your family’s love. Let me repeat the advice about parents and siblings above and you’ll know what I mean. “Get to know your parents. You never know when they’ll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings; they’re the best link to your past and the people mostly to stick with you in the future.”

# 3. Never take your friends for granted. I’ve stayed in the Ateneo High School long enough to know that the friends you make in high school become your support system for life. If you must know, Noynoy Aquino’s batchmates in the class of 1977 spearheaded on Noynoy’s last birthday a merienda to generate funds which Noynoy could use to host a simple birthday party for the residents in Payatas and the old folks in Golden Acres.
Yes, all the alaskahan and shared secrets and class night urban legends made in high school may emerge during reunions but it’s all in the spirit of fun and anyway, why worry – you are among friends.

# 2. Never ever think that words or phrases like magis, ad majorem dei gloriam, men and women for and with others, preferential option for the poor, dignity of labor are merely buzz words whose usefulness is limited to classrooms, academic convocations a or sesquicentennial celebrations. Neither are they slogans or mantras the students can intone in the hope of boosting their scores in an exam, a termpaper or an oral defense. These terms are meant to be lived.

# 1. And the Top One “Never” is Never forget that AMDG is BEST written in our hearts, not only at the top of our size ones.


Reflection for Graduating Students 2010

FAQs about Fasting and Abstinence

1.) According to canon law, what is required of Catholics this Lent?

The days of Lent are precisely from Ash Wednesday to midday of Holy Saturday. The Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on Lent is expressedly mentioned in Canon 1250 of the 1983 Code. And the context of this is the simple directive that the season of Lent contains the days and times of penance for the universal Church.

Penance is an act of mortification, that is, any human pain observed or experienced as a sign that one remembers and wishes to participate in the sufferings that our Lord Jesus Christ went through for the forgiveness of our sins and our salvation.

The canonical forms of penance during Lent are precisely: fasting and abstinence.

2.) What exactly does fasting mean? Who are required to fast? What are we allowed and not allowed to do?

Fasting is one of those two means of Lenten penances which canon law obliges (the other being abstinence). In canon 1251, fasting is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. In canon 1252, fasting binds those who have attained their majority. What does this mean? It means that this law applies to you from midnight of your eighteenth birthday until the beginning of your sixtieth year, that is, until midnight of your fifty-ninth birthday.

The law of fasting prescribes that only one full meal a day is taken. Two lighter meals are permitted to maintain strength according to each one’s needs. Eating between meals is not permitted, but liquids, including milk and fruit juices, are allowed.

3.) What if I can't fast? What reasons can exempt me from fasting?

It is basic in any human law that one cannot oblige anyone to observe something which is not possible or even inhuman to follow. The two forms of penances, fasting and abstinence, are more realistically applied to the moneyed, able, powerful, and privileged. Consequently, the materially poor like our fellow Filipinos living in shanties or under the bridges, the very sick like those who are bedridden and immobile, the maids and houseboys and other laborers who have to work more than nine hours a day, employees whose jobs require them to be attentive like policemen and security guards, doctors and nurses on duty, and the like, must be exempted. Jesus is not certainly a sadist to require these kind of persons to be mortified more than what they already undergo in most of their every day lives.

4.) What can I do instead of fasting?

Offer your pains (and the work that you do that makes it unwise for you to fast) in exchange for the canonical Church requirement to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

5.) What exactly does abstinence mean? Who are required to abstain? What are we allowed and not allowed to eat?

Abstinence is the other form of penance which canon law requires during Lent (canons 1251 and 1252). Aside from observing it on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, abstinence is to be observed on all Fridays – unless a Solemnity should fall on a Friday.

The law of abstinence forbids the eating of meat, but eggs, milk products, and condiments made from meat may be eaten. Fish and all cold blooded animals may be eaten, for example, frogs, clams, turtles, etc. The law of abstinence binds those who have completed their fourteenth year and older. One is not bound on the fourteenth birthday, but begins to abstain at midnight at the close of the birthday.

6.) What if I can't abstain? What reasons can exempt me from abstinence? What can I do instead?

The same principles for exemptions apply as in numbers 3 and 4 above. Nevertheless, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines teaches the following: Except on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday, abstinence may be substituted with exercises of piety, such as reading the Bible, going to Mass, visiting the Blessed Sacrament, praying the Holy Rosary, or with acts of charity, such as visiting the sick and prisoners, giving alms to the poor, or teaching catechism.

7.) Is this it? This is all I'm required to do as a Catholic this Lent?

Yes. But in the end, life and love are not just about "what you are required to do." Jesuits always try to live out the ideal of the magis, the more. This is not just about "bigger and better," or greater in number or size. The more here pertains to what will help us to come closer to God. So what magis can you do this Lent? What is the more that you can do to be able to come closer to God? And this question cannot be answered by canon law.


- Fr. Reginaldo M. Mananzan, SJ and PhJesuits.org


Do you have a canon law question? Use the contact form at the bottom of this page to send us an e-mail. We'll try our best to answer it.

A question from the web:

I'm a nursing mother. I don't think I should fast. What can I do instead?

PhJesuits:

Yes, it would be unwise for nursing mothers - and pregnant women to fast. Maybe you can offer up your lost sleep--something we are sure is quite a burden for you these days--to God in exchange? Try to "suffer" through it with more patience, and even joy. Or maybe you can fast from the types of food you love, the type we usually refer to as "junk food." Eating healthier will also help your baby!

http://phjesuits.org/features/134-faqs-about-fasting-and-abstinence

Daan ng Krus: Ating Buhay Paglalakbay

University Stations of the Cross, Ateneo de Manila University 2010
Hosted by the Ateneo High School















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Photos courtesy of Mr. Tristan Jeffrey Sunga and Mr. Mamert Manus

ASH WEDNESDAY 2010

ASH WEDNESDAY
17 February 2010

The cross of ashes on my forehead…

A simple reminder to me about who I am.

It tells me that I am dust; I am nothing on my own

and into dust I will return.

This cross reminds me that I deserve to be labeled as such

– worn to dust and dirt.

If only for a day or until the ashes fade,

I carry this label on my forehead,

Remembering WHO I AM –

that I am weak, fragile and capable of being lost in sin,

even great sin, and I need to be saved.

The cross of ashes on my forehead…

A simple reminder to me about whose I am.

It reminds me that I am precious,

Marked by a God so good, no one could touch me.

I may be nothing on my own by I can be everything with God.

I carry this mark which tells me that

I have the mark of God.

I was made by Him, I came from Him

And To Him I shall return.

A Prayer After the Earthquake in Haiti

Lord, at times such as this,
when we realize that the ground beneath our feet
is not as solid as we had imagined,
we plead for your mercy.

As the things we have built crumble about us,
we know too well how small we truly are
on this ever-changing, ever-moving,
fragile planet we call home.
Yet you have promised never to forget us.

Do not forget us now.

Today, so many people are afraid.
They wait in fear of the next tremor.
They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble.
They roam the streets in shock at what they see.
And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief
and the names of missing dead.

Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster.
Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still,
and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.

Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day.
Console the hearts of those who mourn,
and ease the pain of bodies on the brink of death.

Pierce, too, our hearts with compassion,
we who watch from afar,
as the poorest on this side of the earth
find only misery upon misery.
Move us to act swiftly this day,
to give generously every day,
to work for justice always,
and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.

And once the shaking has ceased,
the images of destruction have stopped filling the news,
and our thoughts return to life’s daily rumblings,
let us not forget that we are all your children
and they, our brothers and sisters.
We are all the work of your hands.

For though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be tossed to the ground,
your love shall never leave us,
and your promise of peace will never be shaken.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
now and forever.

Amen.

Why does God allow natural disasters?

At the heart of Haiti's humanitarian crisis is an age old question for many religious people - how can God allow such terrible things to happen? Philosopher David Bain examines the arguments. Read the article by clicking here.


http://www.dsj.org/being-catholic/worship/a-prayer-after-the-earthquake-in-haiti

On the Feast of Sto. Niño

Last Sunday, January 18, we celebrated the feast of the Sto. Niño. The image of the Holy Child in Cebu was, according to a widely accepted belief, the gift of Ferdinand Magellan to the Queen of Cebu during her baptism in 1521. The image was recovered in April 1565 by the conquering troops of Legazpi inside a burning house, the image well preserved inside a chest. Soldiers who were veterans of numerous campaigns in Europe and who were familiar with the devotion to the Holy Child recognized the image as Flemish in origin. The image was entrusted to the Augustinian friars who were with Legazpi in the Cebu expedition. It was enthroned in a hastily-made chapel built on the spot where the image was found. And from then on, the devotion to the Sto. Niño flourished to the form it has taken on today. The Sto. Niño of Cebu has an even older history than the Holy Infant of Prague whose own history began in 1628.

On the feast of the Sto. Niño, all Cebuanos take to the streets and dance the Sinulog, waving to the image of the Sto. Niño as if it were a superstar, and praying Pit Senyor, Pit Senyor with an amazing variety of Sto. Niño images. Perhaps, it is only in the Philippines where the Sto. Niño can be a policeman, a baker, a nurse, doctor, fisherman — there is even a Sto. Niño na dyumi-jingle!

For some, this form of devotion has gone to excesses. And of course, there is more than a grain of truth to this observation. That is why some too quickly judge the Filipino’s piety or Christianity, as superficial, mababaw. For instance, the Sto. Niño is vested so lavishly while, ironically, in one’s surroundings roam street children dressed despicably. And there are so many abused children not only in Cebu but in practically every place in this supposedly Christian country.

Yet in spite of the seeming superficiality that others may see in this uniquely Filipino devotion, there is a hidden and distinct depth to it which mirrors a plain and simple faith: the faith that God is with us, and it is our deepest desire that he abide in us, in our lives and undertakings, and in our many aspirations. That is why the Sto. Niño in the Philippines can be a policeman--because the world of the policeman is part of the realm and sovereignty of God notwithstanding the existence of corrupt and kotong cops. Because the world of the policeman can be employed, and should be employed for the good of the people to bring about security of property and of persons. That is why the Sto. Niño can also be a fisherman--because the sea is also God’s domain where many make their living as they labor to gather the produce of the sea, even as we also know that it is not God’s will that the sea be ravaged of its resources. That is why the Sto. Niño can be a doctor or a nurse--because God continues his work of healing through the skill and knowledge of people like doctors and nurses. Their profession is a noble one, placed at the service of people and not for simply enriching themselves. In summary, God is in all aspects of the human situation and every human situation can be an opportunity for glorifying God and reflecting the face and the goodness of God.

- Fr. Vidal Gornez, SJ

Reposted from jesuits.ph

A NEW YEAR’S REFLECTION

HAPPY NEW YEAR and welcome back everyone!

Allow me to share excerpts of Fr. Joe Galdon’s article entitled, “January Has Two Faces.”

“Nick Joaquin has a very interesting story about the feast of St. Sylvester, which falls on December 31, the last day of the year. Joaquin writes ‘to open the doors of the New Year, the Romans invoked the god Janus, patron of doors and beginnings. (That is why the first month of the year was called January!) Janus’ two faces (one staring forward, the other backward) are a symbol of man’s ability to dwell on the past while speeding into the future.’ ‘In Christianity, the role of Janus has been taken over by another Roman – St. Sylvester, Pope and confessor, whose feast falls on the last day of the year. At midnight on that day, according to traditions, St. Sylvester appears on earth, and with the keys of his office, opens all the gates of the principal archepiscopal cities, and celebrates the first Mass of the year in each cathedral.’

“As we start this new year, this year 2010, let us then look back to the year that was: accomplishments and failures, good weather and the typhoons we had to whether through, good health and illness (A H1N1, Dengue), life and death. “It’s good for us to figure out what went wrong last year, open the doors to the new year, and try to be a little bit better in the days that lie ahead. Ayn Rand says that if we want to be truly happy people, we have to look back and say ‘I’m sorry’ and look forward and say ‘I will!’… I guess that is why the month of January has two faces, too! To remind us to look back and to look forward and to change.

The beginning of the new year… has always been the traditional time for changing our lives and for making resolutions. One of the most consoling realizations as we grow older is that we CAN change our lives! We can open the door to a new life. We are not prisoners of the past!” WE learn from our past. We dream of our future and work on it. The turning of a year is always a good time to take stock of where we are and to look for lessons of the past that may guide us into the future.

Allow me to share with you a story which was part of the homily I gave yesterday at the Mass at the Gesu for the Feast of the Epiphany. Henry van Dyke wrote the story called “The Other Wise Man.” It is about the 4^th person who is supposed to accompany the other three wise men on their journey to search for the newborn King. The name of this other wise man is Artaban. It is said that as Artaban prepares for the journey, he takes with him a bag of precious stones as his present to the baby King. On his way to join the other three wise men, Artaban stops to help a poor person. In so doing, he misses his rendezvous with the others. He is left behind. Artaban tries to catch up but every time he constantly runs into people who need help. And he always stops to help them. In so doing he gives away all the precious stones he planned to give to the newborn king. As the story ends, Artaban is old and poor. He never realized his dream to meet the King of Kings and to place at his feet his gift of precious stones.

The story of “The Other Wise Man” could end here but if it did it would be a story of a man who never realized his one big dream. But the story does not end here. It continues that one day Artaban is in Jerusalem. The city is buzzing with excitement. Authorities are about to execute a criminal. When Artaban sees the criminal, his heart skips a beat. Something tells him this is the King of Kings for whom he has been searching for all his life. Artaban is heartbroken at what he sees. He is even more heartbroken when he sees he can do nothing to help the King. Then something remarkable occurs. Artaban hears the King’s voice say to him: “Don’t be heartbroken, Artaban. You have been helping me all your life. When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me drink. When I was naked, you clothed me. When I was a stranger, you took me in.”

I tell this story of “The Other Wise Man” to stress the reality that sometimes we are not able to succeed in the pursuit of our dreams. When we look back to our past there are failures. The story of Artaban is the story of many of us. We start our journeys with a fervent desire to pursue our dreams. But somehow, somewhere, something happens which makes us “lose” our direction towards our dreams. We do not have to look beyond our shores to search for examples. We know of the many lives and properties lost with the typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng the past year. Many of the people who were affected had worked hard to have a comfortable home and a good life but the floods made the fulfillment of their dreams a thing of the past. But the wrath of nature and the greed of people destroyed not just the dreams of people but lives and homes as well.

My dear friends in the Lord, let us not stop dreaming or pursuing our dreams. If we had failures in the past year, let us learn from them. Our God has promised us that He will never abandon us. Have faith in Him. If we come to think of it, God’s dream for us is for us to be happy. God the Son embraced our human nature to be one with us. He is one with us in our joy as well as our sadness. When we were not yet content with that love, He embraced pain and suffering and even death on the cross to show us His love, to make us happy. At the end of our lives, I believe one question God will ask of us is, “Were you happy?”… really, truly and genuinely happy? If we are happy, God is happy. But let us not end with that. Let us end with making God to be happy, to have as our dream the happiness of God.

Artaban was happy not only because he found Jesus but more so because he realized that what he has been doing all along was making Jesus happy. We will be happy this year not so much because we have found God but because we have made God happy: with our words, our deeds, our lives. May we find God in everything and may everyone find God in us.

Let us end with the prayer of Dag Hammarsjold, “For all that has been, thank you; and for all that will be, Yes.”

- Fr. Eli Rowdy Y. Lumbo, SJ

Pope Benedict's Prayer Intetntion for January 2010

Young People and Media.
That young people may learn to use social communication media for their personal growth and in preparation to serve society.

Last May Pope Benedict said that we should not be surprised by the popularity of the new communication technologies. Our human desire to extend our friendships by any and all means reflects our participation in the "unifying love of God, who desires to make of all humanity one family" (Message for World Day of Communications, 2009).

This month the Holy Father asks us to pray especially for the young people who use the new communication media, like mobile phones and computers connected to the Internet. The Pope's approach toward these technologies is overwhelmingly hopeful, not fearful.

What an opportunity for young people all over the world to grow in holy love for one another! What an opportunity to promote a worldwide "culture of respect, dialogue, and friendship." What an opportunity to engage in a "genuine and mutual searching for truth... to promote understanding and tolerance." And what an opportunity to proclaim the "Good News of a God who became man, who suffered, died, and rose again to save all people."

For "life is not just a succession of events," the Pope continues, "it is a search for the true, the good, and the beautiful." Only in them do we find happiness. "We must not allow ourselves to be deceived by those who see us merely as consumers in a market of undifferentiated possibilities, where choice itself becomes the good, novelty usurps beauty, and subjective experience displaces truth."

So, while we pray for the good the new media can do, let us also pray against evil. We ask that our young people will not use these media to lie, abuse, or exploit others. We ask too that they will be protected from the lies and abuse of peers and predators.

May the new media enable young people to grow in wisdom and grace as they prepare to serve society in this challenging new century.

Reflection:
How do you and will you use social communication media to reflect God's unifying love?

Reading:
1 Timothy 4:12 Let no one have contempt for your youth, but set an example for those who believe, in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.

Christian Unity.

That every believer in Christ may understand that unity among all Christians is necessary for effective proclamation of the gospel.

During the month of January the Pope often asks us to pray for Christian unity. When we do so, we Catholics are joining with other Christians in celebrating an annual octave from January 18 to 25 for unity among Christians. The tradition is more than 100 years old.

This year the theme is "You are Witnesses of These Things." The phrase comes from the words Jesus spoke to his disciples just before he ascended into heaven: "Thus it is written that the Messiah would suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things" (Luke 24: 45-48).

This month the Pope emphasizes that Christian unity is essential for the proclamation of the gospel. Disunity among Christians undermines the credibility of our witness to the world. How can we preach reconciliation through Christ if we who are baptized oppose one another? Our message of one Lord, one faith, and one baptism cannot abide the scandal of our divisions.

Our divisions generally originated in doctrinal differences, but they are often perpetuated by prejudice, ignorance, fear, and other attitudes which should have no part in a Christian's life. These are things we can change, but we cannot abandon true doctrine.

Urging Christians to unite, Pope Benedict reminds us of St. Paul's admonition to "hold fast to the traditions you were taught" (2 Thessalonians 3:15). We should strive to agree on "normative apostolic teaching." All Christians should seek communion with the Church in every age. We should embrace objective truth that relies neither on subjective experience nor empirical science, but is founded on the "teaching which indeed underlies the inspired word of God and sustains the sacramental life of Christians today" (Homily at an ecumenical prayer service, New York City, April 18, 2008).

Let us join the Holy Father in praying that we will all obey the Spirit which calls us to be one in the Lord.

Reflection:
How might you join with a non-Catholic Christian to witness to the truth of Jesus Christ?

Reading:
1 Corinthians 2: 12-13 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms.

Source: Apostleship of Prayer.org

http://apostleshipofprayer.org/reflectionsMonthly.html

St. John of the Cross

Today we remember the life and works of St. John of the Cross, founder of the Discalced Carmelites.

St. John of the Cross was born as John de Yepes on June 24, 1542, at Fontiveros, Spain. He was the youngest child of Gonzalo de Yepes and Catherine Alvarez. His father was a descendant of a rich family in France but was disowned for marrying a weaver’s daughter.

John received his early education from a school in Medina del Campo. As a student, he was found to be attentive and diligent in his studies. At 14, his services were taken by the governor of the hospital of Medina to care for the hospital patients who were suffering from incurable illnesses. For seven years, John divided his time between waiting on the poorest of the poor and pursuing his education.

In 1563, at the age of 21, he entered the Carmelites at Medina, taking the name of John of the Cross, and was ordained priest at the age of 25. At his first Mass, he received the assurance that he would preserve his baptismal innocence. After his ordination, he was given permission to follow the original rule of Albert of Vercelli which imposed strict discipline and solitude.

1568, John together with St. Teresa of Avila opened the first monastery of the newly reformed Discalced Carmelites.

He became master of novices and the spiritual and confessor of the convent. He implemented reforms, including his belief that the order should return to its life of prayer. His reforms did not sit well with many Carmelites who accused him of rebellion.

He was put in prison and beaten three times a week by the monks. The cell was six feet by ten feet with only one tiny window up near the ceiling. While suffering in prison, he found happiness in God and in prayer. He started writing mystical poetry which he brought with him when he escaped from prison after 9 months.

St. John of the Cross joined his Creator on December 14, 1591, at Ubeda in Andalucia in Spain. He was beatified by Pope Clement X on January 25, 1675, and was declared saint by Pope Benedict XIII on December 27, 1726. He was proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XI on August 24, 1926.

Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/233922/st-john-cross

A Celebration of Simplicity

by Fr. Jboy Gonzales SJ8 December 2009 Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is indeed an extraordinary event. It tells us that God has ordained that Mary, who would be the Mother of Jesus, would be free from the stain of sin. Thus, Mary was given the grace of being conceived without sin because of her future role as the Mother of God. This grace is purely an unmerited gift of God.

The feast of the Immaculate Conception was established as a universal feast in 1476 by Pope Sixus IV, but it was defined as a dogma by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854 in the document, Ineffabilis Deus. This dogma is supported by Scripture --- the Gospel today --- when the Angel Gabriel addressed her as “full of grace” as well as the writings of Church Fathers such as Ireneaus of Lyons and Ambrose of Milan. The devotion of Our Lady of Lourdes made the dogma ever more significant. In the apparition to Bernadette Soubirous at Lourdes, she identified herself as “the Immaculate Conception”.

In addition, what made this event extraordinary is the realization that God has chosen an ordinary woman -- not a beauty queen or a rich girl --- to be the Mother of God. But this one great event of her birth acquired more ‘flesh’ in her daily life. She has lived this holiness every single day. So that what was once extraordinary became part and parcel of ordinary life. She carried out this holiness, which reached its peak when she said yes to the will of God, despite the threat to her life (Women caught to be pregnant without a husband were stoned to death). Furthermore, she followed through her promise to remain holy forever.

I believe that celebrating the Immaculate Conception is a celebration of a possibility: that ordinary people like us can live holy lives. There is a growing cultural pessimism about human nature. There is a belief that we cannot be holy thus we just have to be resigned to this view of human nature. No matter how hard we try, we will eventually sin. To me, having to be holy begins with a trust that our nature is good; that we can live holy lives. Often we become what we believe: if we believe we are forever sinful, then we become indeed sinful. Eventually, we become pessimistic of human nature. Many of those who do not believe in the goodness of persons have made a generalization. Because of their traumas and hurts, they think all of us are the same as their oppressors. For example, we know of those who have become bitter. Because they have been hurt by their boyfriends, they think all men are the same. Or because they have witnessed graft and corruption in government, they think all those who work in government are all dishonest and unprincipled.

But many saints precisely offered their lives in full service of humanity because they believe that every single human being is basically good. They believe that what God said in Genesis was true: everything He created is good. And thus, we are all worthy of His grace. Catholic theology teaches us that when Jesus rose from the dead, everything became new. Christ’s redemption freed us from original sin. We became God’s children, not merely God’s creatures. Do we not carry the Spirit of God with us? We are God’s temple and therefore we are holy. And if we respond to the Spirit of God in us, we, ordinary human beings, can live holy lives. John Brown defined holiness as “thinking as God thinks, willing as God wills”.

To think as God thinks and will as God wills can be applied to ordinary lives. There is a holy studying; a holy taking a bath; a holy talking to a friend. When we love someone as God loves, then we put forth who we really are.

re-posted from:
www.faithofacenturion.blogspot.com

photo courtesy of Mr. Vincent Galileo L. Loiz
http://www.flickr.com/photos/14116086@N04/4087957851/

St. Francis Xavier, Missionary to the Far East

Francis Xavier (Francisco de Jassu y Javier, 1506-1552), was the first Jesuit missionary and the prototype who inspired many men to enter the Society of Jesus and evangelize far off nations. One of the original group of seven men who founded the Jesuits, he was sent to India before the new religious order received formal approval from the Church.

Xavier was born in his family's small castle in Navarre, in the north of Spain, and there received his early education. In September 1525 he went to Paris to begin university studies at the College of Sainte-Barbe where his roommate was Peter Faber (Pierre Favre) from the Savoy region of France. Four years later everything changed when an older student moved in, Ignatius Loyola (Iñigo Lopez de Loyola), a failed Basque courtier given to prayer. Loyola soon won Faber over to wanting to become a priest and work for the salvation of souls, but Xavier aspired to a worldly career and was not at all interested in being a priest. He earned his licentiate degree in the spring of 1530 and began teaching Aristotle at the College of Dormans-Beauvais; he remained living in the room with Favre and Loyola. When Faber went to visit his family in 1533, Ignatius finally broke through to Xavier who yielded to the grace God was offering him. Four other students also became close friends through their conversations with Ignatius who was became a spiritual guide and inspired the whole group with his desire to go to the Holy Land. Xavier joined his friends Aug. 15, 1534 in the chapel of Saint-Denis in Montmartre as they all pronounced private vows of poverty, chastity and going to the Holy Land to convert infidels.

Xavier and Loyola began studying theology in 1534. Two years later Xavier set out for Venice with the rest of the group except for Loyola who had returned to Spain earlier. Venice was the point of departure for ships going to the Holy Land. The companions spent two months waiting for a ship and working in hospitals, then went to Rome to ask papal permission for their pilgrimage and ordination of the non-priests among them. Xavier, Loyola and four others were ordained by the papal delegate in his private chapel on June 24, 1537. And they continued to wait for a ship, but because of Venice's impending war with the Turks none sailed for a whole year, something quite extraordinary. The companions then decided that Ignatius should go to Rome and place the group at the disposal of the pope. Meanwhile, they would go to various university centers and start preaching. Xavier and Nicholas Bobadilla went to Bologna.

Xavier went to Rome in April 1538 and began preaching in the French church of St. Louis. He also took part in the famous deliberations during Lent 1539 in which the companions agreed to form a new religious order. Before Pope Paul III granted his approval of the plan, he asked Ignatius to accede to King John III of Portugal's request to send two of the companions to the new colony in India. Ignatius chose Simon Rodrigues and Nicholas Bobadilla, but the latter got sick and could not go. Francis Xavier was the only one of the companions not already committed to a work so Ignatius asked him to go, even though they were the closest friends and the departure meant that they would never see each other again.

Xavier and Rodrigues left Rome March 15, 1540 and arrived in Lisbon by the end of June. The fleet had already left so the two priests had to remain in Lisbon until the following spring. They devoted themselves to preaching and caring for prisoners. The king was so taken by their work that he asked one of them to stay and start a school; Rodrigues was chosen, leaving Xavier to head off alone as the first Jesuit missionary. As Xavier boarded the ship Santiagio, the king's messenger gave him a letter in which the pope named him apostolic nuncio, which meant that he had authority over all Portuguese clergy in Goa. The ship set sail April 7, 1541, on Xavier's thirty-fifth birthday.

It took 13 months for Xavier to arrive in Goa, including a long wait in Mozambique for favorable winds. As soon as he arrived, the energetic Spaniard set about preaching to the Portuguese, visiting prisons and ministering to lepers. He also tried to learn Tamil, but had to rely on interpreters for his first mission to the Paravas, pearl fishers who lived on India's southeastern shore above Cape Comorin. They had converted to Christianity but been without a pastor, so Xavier reinstructed them in the faith, baptized those who were ready and prepared catechists to remain with them as he moved on from one village to the next. By the end of 1544 he reached the western shore of India at Travancore; in November and December of that year he is reported to have baptized 10,000 persons. He moved northward to Cochin, and then sailed to the Portuguese city of Malacca in Malaya; from there he headed for his goal, the Moluccas, or the Spice Islands where he landed on Feb. 14, 1546. He visited the Christian villages and baptized over 1,000 persons at nearby Seran. Then he did a reconnaissance trip to the islands Ternate and Moro, known for its headhunters. He returned to Malacca in July 1547 and arranged for two Jesuits to take his place.

When Xavier returned to Malacca, he learned about Japan from a Japanese nobleman named Anjiro who was interested in becoming a Christian. This revelation of a culturally advanced nation that had not yet heard of Christ captured the Spanish Jesuit's imagination. Before he could do anything about Japan, Xavier had to return to Goa to fulfill his responsibilities as mission superior and assign newly arrived Jesuits to their posts. He was not able to set sail for Japan with Anjiro and several Jesuits until April 1549. The party got back to Malacca easily enough but could find no ship's captain willing to take the risk of sailing into unknown waters. So Xavier hired a pirate to take them. They left June 24, 1549 and landed on August 15 at Kagoshima in southern Japan, Anjiro's home city.

At first the mission went very smoothly. The local prince gave permission to the foreigners to preach Christianity, but he himself would not convert. Xavier decided that the way to convert Japan was to begin with the emperor, but no one would tell him how to get to the Imperial City, Miyako (today's Tokyo). They spent a year in Kagoshima but only made 100 converts, so the Jesuits left for Hirado, a port used by the Portuguese on the upper coast of Kyushu. Another 100 Japanese became Christians but Xavier remained eager to see the emperor, so he moved to the country's second largest city, Yamaguchi. He preached in the streets but suffered a very unsuccessful meeting with the daimyo, so he left that city in December 1550 for Sakai.

Their fortune turned and they finally found a prince willing to take them to the Imperial City. Xavier and Brother John Fernandez were hired as domestic servants and arrived in January 1551, the first Catholic missionaries to see Asia's largest and most beautiful city. For 11 days they tried without success to secure an audience with the emperor, so they returned to Hirado. They went back, though, with the knowledge that the most powerful lord in Japan was not the emperor, but the daimyo of Yamaguchi, whom they had failed to convince in their first meeting. Xavier resolved to try again, appearing not as a poorly-clad European but as an individual worthy of the daimyo's attention.

The two Jesuits rented horses and a litter and dressed themselves in colorful silken robes. When they ceremoniously arrived in Yamaguchi, they were received at the daimyo's palace without any suspicion that they were the same barbarians who had been brushed away only months earlier. Xavier presented the daimyo with expensive gifts of clocks, music boxes, mirrors, crystals, cloth and wine as signs of friendship; and he presented impressive credentials: letters from King John III of Portugal and Pope Paul III. The daimyo granted the Jesuit's request to preach the Christian religion in the empire, and gave people the freedom to become Christians if they wanted to. He also gave the Jesuits a residence in the city, where many people visited. Within six months they had gained 500 converts.

Xavier thought it was time for him to move on so he brought Father Cosmas de Torres to replace him in Yamaguchi so he could return to India. Xavier set out in September 1551, and found a ship for Malacca. He hoped to return to Japan the following year, but the ship got caught in a typhoon that drove it 1,000 miles off course. On December 17, the vessel entered the Bay of Canton and anchored off Sancian Island. As Xavier looked towards nearby China, he felt that country calling him. The two Jesuits were able to board a ship that happened to be bound for Singapore, which they reached at the end of the month. There Xavier found a letter from Ignatius appointing him provincial of the "Indies and the countries beyond."

He was back in India in January 1552 and found another letter telling him to return to Rome to report on the mission; he decided that visit could wait until he had first gone to China. In April 1552 Xavier set out from India and entered the Bay of Canton in September. He landed on Sancian Island which was both a hideout for Chinese smugglers and a base for Portuguese traders. None of the smugglers was willing to risk taking the Jesuit missionary over to China; one who said he was, took Xavier's money and then disappeared. On November 21 he came down with a fever and could not leave his leafy hut on the island's shore. Seven days later he fell into a coma, but on December 1 regained consciousness and devoted himself to prayer during his waking hours. He died on the morning of December 3 and was buried on the island, but his remains were later taken to Malacca and then to Goa where they were interred in the church Bom Jesus.

He was canonized in 1622 and made patron of the Propagation of the Faith in 1910 and in 1927 was named patron of the missions.