In 2013, St. Xavier’s College, in Kathmandu, marked its silver jubilee.  Fr. Charles Law and Fr. Eugene Watrin worked hard to see the college begin evening classes at St. Xavier’s School in July 1988.  By 1990 the college’s first building opened on an ideal site in the city.  The college has now grown and looks forward to becoming a university.  Jesuits love to use the name “Xavier,” and rightly so.  For a decade, from 1542 through 1552, St. Francis Xavier preached, first in India, then across South-East Asia, on to Japan, and finally to the coast of China.  He introduced many thousands of people to Jesus’ message of salvation.  He certainly did his part to “prepare humanity for the Savior’s coming!” 

Each Advent we prepare for Jesus’ coming at Christmas. First we remember the original Christmas.  Then we get busy with cooking, cleaning, decorating, and above all praying, so that we are ready to continue to enjoy our Savior’s presence this Christmas.  Finally we remind ourselves that our lives are a continuous preparation for our meeting with Christ at our death, which leads us to an eternity in heaven.  We are devoting our lives to trying to become ever better Christians by living up to Jesus’ challenge to love one another as we know he loves each of us.   This is the preparation that counts!   

And it is challenging to ask how can we answer the call by the Church to help prepare humanity for the Savior’s coming.  We are all tempted to ask, “What can I do?  I’m at home in Canada!”  In my case, “I’m busy with teaching and administration in Kathmandu!”  Perhaps there is a lot we can do!  Jesus’ story of the Good Samaritan might challenge us to act (Luke 10:30-37).  In his first official visit outside of Rome, Pope Francis visited the island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily.  There he offered Mass for immigrants from North Africa.  These refugees are looking for a better life after suffering through the political turmoil there.  In his July 8th, 2013 homily, Pope Francis reminded us of God’s two questions.  God asks, “Adam, where are you?” (Gen.3:9) Then God continues, “Cain, where is your brother Abel?” (Gen.4:9)

Adam and Eve have just eaten the forbidden fruit, thereby refusing God’s guidance, and so are lost.  God offers them a gentle invitation to repent, but perhaps pride gets in the way.  They think they know better than God!  Cain too refuses God’s invitation to reconciliation, answering, “I don’t know.  Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Selfish pride leads both to refuse God’s way of life, a life of peace with oneself, one’s neighbor, and God.  Sadly, they corner themselves away from God’s light, condemning themselves to dark and selfish lives.

Our challenge, then, is to first accept Jesus’ light now!  It is free for the taking and keeping, a never-ending stream of grace.  None of us has this completely, but as we let the Word’s light fill us, we enjoy an inner peace, a peace based on our conviction that we are doing what we can to accept the light-filled peace.  Do I have that peace?  I simply check by looking at my relationships.  Do I meet every person with a smile, at least an inward smile, because I accept that person as just as good and blessed as I believe I am!  When I note that I have not appeared so “enlightened” to others, can I look a little deeper to ask why?  Perhaps I’m ill, or in pain, or over-tired.  I can deal with such circumstances and explain them to others.  Perhaps I’m too selfish or proud to allow others to be themselves. 

Let’s pray for the grace to answer God.  Where am I?  With God!  Where are my sisters and brothers?  Also with God!  Therefore we together support one another in enjoying the Word of Life in and around us, and carry that light through this Christmas and into the coming year. 

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Picture:  The statue of St. Francis Xavier at St. Xavier’s College, Kathmandu.  The Nepal Region Superior, Fr. Boniface Tigga, S.J., blessed the statue at the college’s Golden Jubilee program.