Inspiring Christian Lives

Francis Xavier, 1506-51

Paris, 1520s
The University of Paris: students are drinking, fighting and sleeping around with each other – even a professor there dies of an STD. At a billiard table, playing a game of billiards is an old soldier and newly ordained priest, known as Ignatius of Loyola. A wild young student wishes to challenge him to a game. He challenges the holy man; the holy man, Ignatius agrees; but he’s no fool and no slouch either when it comes to billiards. Ignatius can see an opportunity, so he decides to set a wager, not for money, but for the soul of the youth – whoever loses the game of billiards will have to be the servant of the other for 30 days. The old soldier, Ignatius, wipes the table with him – he has not forgotten many of the tricks of his life before becoming holy.

So, the wild young student must become his servant for 30 days. Now, the old soldier had something up his sleeve, something that would change the life of this reckless young lad forever – a series of Christian meditations known as the ‘Spiritual Exercises’ – to do them properly takes 30 days. Ignatius would guide this young youth, known as Francis Xavier, through these meditations for 30 days. At the end of this 30 days, the life of Francis Xavier would never be the same again. Despite being a talented student, he now refused to use his intellectual gifts for the selfish purposes of self advancement and promised instead to follow Christ the King wherever he would go.

Francis Xavier went on to proclaim the gospel in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malaga, Indonesia and India itself. Thousands flocked to hear the message he had to commend to them. He even held King John of Portugal to account in terms of acting justly towards these people – he stressed that he was not a spreader of a political empire, but a spreader of the kingdom of God. Wherever he went he was greeted with an overwhelming response, particularly from children. He had the confidence and courage to recognise that the task of the Christian is to preach the Gospel wherever he goes, trusting that Christ is present. And what is this ‘Gospel’? That Christ’s death has redeemed us and that his resurrection offers us eternal life. Xavier’s life also shows that all things can be opened up as an opportunity to find Christ and proclaim him to every creature and that true worship is a recognition of who Christ is.