Memorial of St. Francis Xavier, Priest

Brief Background:

St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552) was one of the greatest missionaries of the Church. Born in Spain, he became one of the first companions of St. Ignatius of Loyola and helped found the Jesuit order. Filled with a deep zeal for Christ, he traveled thousands of miles to preach the Gospel in India, Indonesia, Japan, and hoped to reach China before his death.

His missionary work brought countless people to the faith, and he is remembered for his courage, simplicity, and love for souls. He is the patron saint of foreign missions and navigators.

REFLECTION:

One of my good friends, a priest from the Diocese of San Jose, always jokes about hikers. He says, “Why would anyone want to climb a mountain? Why fight gravity? Why go all the way up just to turn around and come back down?” And every time he says it, we laugh—because there’s truth in the question. Why do we climb? Why do human beings willingly take on something steep, difficult, uneven, and demanding?

Scripture seems to know that answer better than we do. A mountain isn’t just a place you visit—it’s a place that changes you.

Throughout the Bible, mountains are not simply scenic viewpoints; they are places where something must be conquered. Moses climbs Sinai trembling. Elijah climbs Carmel to confront false gods. Jesus climbs the Mount of Temptation to face the devil. Even Calvary—small as it is—becomes the hill where love conquers sin and death. A mountain stretches you, challenges you, and calls you beyond your comfort.

Isaiah’s mountain in today’s reading is no different. “On this mountain,” Isaiah says, God will provide a feast for all peoples, remove the veil that blinds humanity, wipe away every tear, and destroy death forever. But notice something important: although it is God who prepares the feast and God who wins the victory, the people still need to ascend the mountain. The grace is waiting at the top, but the climb still belongs to us.

Each of us has our own mountains: the mountain of grief, the mountain of fear, the mountain of forgiveness, the mountain of responsibility, the mountain of letting go, the mountain of change, the mountain of healing. Some of these we would rather avoid. Some of them seem too steep. Some of them we hope will disappear if we ignore them long enough.

But Isaiah is telling us: this mountain is not meant to defeat you—it's the place where God will meet you. You climb, but God conquers. You take the steps, but God provides the strength. You face the challenge, but God turns it into a victory.

Maybe your mountain today is something unfinished or overwhelming. Maybe it’s a habit you can’t break, a decision you’re afraid to make, or a relationship that needs mending. Whatever your mountain is, remember: God is already on top of it, and God is already walking beside you.

At the summit of Isaiah’s mountain is a banquet—a celebration, a feast of joy and abundance. That is God’s promise: every mountain we face in faith leads not to emptiness, but to deeper trust, deeper hope, and a deeper experience of His presence.

So take a breath. Take the next step. The mountain may be steep, but the God who stands at its summit is the God who climbs with you.