Going Home

By: Rick Hernandez

Growing up, I was very lucky. My parents were very loving and caring and always provided a home for me, a safe place from which I could roam for adventure and experience life. That childhood home was my anchor, the place I could always go back to, where I could rest my head and replenish all that was spent. There I received love and companionship, various important lessons and good advice, and when needed, both admonishment and mercy. There I was able to rest my mind, ponder many things and settle my heart while digesting the many lessons from the day. All of these things helped me to grow in understanding. From the compassion and care of my parents and siblings, I was able to put myself together, even after tough days, to go out into the world again the next day and every day. I know that going to school, work, and play, does not sound like a particularly difficult mission, but that was my life call at the time, and I needed the support of my loved ones in order to go out and fulfill my obligations to the best of my ability. I was nurtured for a life mission, to go and use my gifts. If we think about it, we all were, and are even today, nurtured for a life mission, even though we may not all be aware of it.

I have a very deep connection to the life of Saint Francis Xavier, one of the original Jesuits, because I see in his saintly life so much of what we are all called to do in ours; it is just that in Francis’ case, they were done heroically.  Young Francis Xavier was a well-to-do youth, born into nobility, educated at the best schools with the idea that his mission was to wield power, as was normal for the nobility of the day. He always did the best he could, for that was what he was raised to do, and that was part of his mission in life. At college, Francis met a fellow student who would eventually be known as Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Order of Jesus. The story goes that Ignatius asked Francis one question, quoted directly from the Gospel of Mark, “What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” (Mark 8:36), and that thought stayed with Francis. From that moment forward, the understanding of his life mission changed. He was to become a disciple of Christ, a missionary to the world, and he was a great one, traveling far and wide to help spread the Gospel throughout Europe and Asia.

Saint Francis Xavier would not do this alone, nor without support. He founded many missions and churches all across the world and met the people where they were on the road.  He accompanied those seeking, the poor in spirit, and learned of their customs and traditions so that he could better relate to them, also called to a life in Christ. Too many things have been said about Saint Francis Xavier, some of it probably legend, but the one thing that I admire him the most for is his perennial dependency upon Christ Eucharistic. St. Francis Xavier spent many hours of the day before Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament, Who gave Him the grace and the strength needed to lead so many souls to Christ. A famous story goes that while distributing Holy Communion, Francis felt so carried away by a sense of adoration toward Our Lord, who was in his hands, that he got on his knees and, in that position, continued giving Holy Communion. What a perfect witness of love and faith was his recognition of Christ in the Eucharist!

Saint Francis Xavier, the great missionary saint, needed to go back to the source, back home, where his heart, mind, and spirit were healed, restored, and nurtured. The Eucharist, Christ among us, was his place of rest, the safe place from where he could go roam for adventure and experience life, even after tough days. From there, he could go out again to love and glorify God in the world day after day. This, too, is our call.

It is the same way for us with Christ and His Church. From visiting Christ’s house and sharing from the banquet at His table, He sends us to the world, where we roam at work and play, accompany each other, and experience life. The Church is our home, where we are anchored; the place where we can rest to be replenished. Christ gives himself to us so that we may be restored. Once restored, we can then go and fulfill the commandment to love God and our neighbor.

I like to think that as much as we are sent to give of ourselves to others, we are also recalled, so we can fill up on what is needed for the mission of love and mercy. Christ gives himself to us so that we can give from that bounty to whomever we meet in our daily lives.

Can we remember our parents calling us home for dinner after a long day of work and play? From our daily mission, let us head home and share with the One who loves us. Together with Christ, we will receive what is needed.

Let us pray: Lord, you are The Way and The Life. You are our home, our center, the One who loves and nurtures us. Let us approach You in trust and confidence that we may be replenished and sent on Your mission of mercy and love. Lord, may You be adored and glorified everywhere we go. Amen.

Rick Hernandez

Rick Hernandez is a common sense Catholic, Lay Associate of the Blessed Sacrament and a Director for Elisheba House. He lives in Trinity, Florida, with his wife Ivonne and their children. He also writes for the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament's Daily Eucharistic Reflection and for Catholicmom.com.