St. Francis Xavier (Feast Day December 3)

April 7, 1506-December 3, 1552

Francis was the youngest child born to a noble family in Northern Spain. He met Saint Ignatius of Loyola while studying at university and they became good friends. Francis was one of the first people to be ordained as a priest in Saint Ignatius' religious order, the Society of Jesus. His ministry took him to India, present-day Indonesia, and Japan, where he worked to help the poor and preach the Gospel.

Like John the Baptist, Francis was passionate about sharing God's love with others. He evangelized in different ways for different people, always looking for new methods that spoke to the culture of the people he wanted to help. Wherever Francis travelled, he tried to learn the native language of the people who lived there. While he wasn't much of a linguist, his priestly vocation was very fruitful; he baptized 30,000 people in his lifetime!

• John was a powerful preacher filled with the Spirit of God. Share a time when you've met someone that has inspired your faith.

• God sent John the Baptist to prepare the people for his coming. If Jesus were coming to your house today, what would you do to get ready to receive him?

• What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire? What makes baptism so special?

• St. Francis Xavier learned the languages of the native people he visited. What language would you like to learn?

Crab Sports

In honor of St. Francis Xavier, clear some space in your house and play some crab games today.
(See the Fun Fact for more details.)

To play these games, you'll need to be in "crab position": hands and feet on the floor, stomach facing up.

• Crab Soccer-Mark a goal at either end of the space you are playing. Divide into teams. Drop a ball or a balloon in the center. Moving around in "crab position" and kicking the ball, try to score in the opposite team's goal.
• Crab Relay-Take turns moving from one end of the room to another carrying something on your stomach (book, apple, hat, etc.) as you walk in "crab position." You can see if you can just complete it or break into teams and race back and forth passing the item to your teammates.
• Crab Volley-In the "crab position," volley an item between players to see how long you can keep it in the air. Items could be a balloon, ball, or scarf.
• Obstacle Course-Set up an obstacle course and walk through it in "crab position."

Spanish Rice

Enjoy this Spanish side dish in honor of St. Francis Xavier who grew up in Spain.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tomato, skin off
1 ½ cup water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 ¾ cup Minute Rice
Parsley
Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in pan. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add water and bouillon cubes and mix to dissolve cubes. Add rice. Turn off heat and cover. Let stand for 5-10 minutes. Add tomato, parsley, and parmesan cheese to taste.

Meditation

God the Father spoke from the heavens at Jesus' baptism. Listen now to how he wants to speak into your heart.

Invite one person to lead this guided meditation. Play some soft instrumental music in the background. Invite everyone to take a few deep breaths, close their eyes, clear their minds, and listen to what the Father wants to say to them. Read an adapted version of the Scripture passage below, once for each person in the family, inserting his/her name in the blank.

     And a voice came from heaven,

     "You are my beloved Son (Daughter);

     [Insert name here], with you I am well pleased.

Invite your family to observe a moment of silence and to listen to the Father as he speaks these words to you. Then, share your experience with each other.

In the Gospel, we hear of the Holy Spirit descending from Heaven. Did you know that the sanctuary---where the priest stands during Mass---symbolizes heaven? It is the part of the church that is usually elevated. How close are you sitting to the sanctuary today?

Find your baptismal candles and display them in a prominent place in your home. Use them for your family prayer each day this week.

St. Francis Xavier is often depicted with a crab. It is said that he encountered a very strong storm while traveling at sea. He threw his cross into the sea, asking God to stop the storm. God indeed came to his aid; the storm halted, and the sea became calm. Upon reaching the shore, St Francis found a crab crawling towards him, holding his crucifix in its claws. The crab had the shape of a cross on its back. It is now called a crucifix crab!