Prayers/St. Francis Xavier
Francis Xavier was a Jesuit Missionary and a contemporary of Ignatius of Loyola. You can read more about his life here.
Quotes
In the mid-16th century the missionary Francis Xavier (1506–1552), wrote to Father Perez of Malacca (today part of Malaysia) about the perils of his mission to China. He said,
The danger of all dangers would be to lose trust and confidence in the mercy of God. . . . To distrust him would be a far more terrible thing than any physical evil which all the enemies of God put together could inflict on us, for without God’s permission neither the devils nor their human ministers could hinder us in the slightest degree.[1]
A Prayer for the Lost
Eternal God,
Creator of all things,
remember that You alone
has created the souls of unbelievers,
which You have made according to Your Image and Likeness.
Behold, O Lord,
how to Your dishonour many of them are falling into Hell.
Remember, O Lord,
Your Son Jesus Christ,
Who so generously shed His Blood and suffered for them.
Do not permit that Your Son, Our Lord,
remain unknown by unbelievers,
but, with the help of Your Saints and the Church,
the Bride of Your Son,
remember Your mercy,
forget their idolatry and infidelity,
and make them know Him,
Who You have sent,
Jesus Christ, Your Son, Our Lord,
Who is our salvation,
our life, and our resurrection,
through Whom we have been saved and redeemed,
and to Whom is due glory forever.
Amen.[2]
My God, I love thee
My God, I love thee;
not because I hope for heaven thereby,
nor yet because who love thee not are lost eternally.
Thou, O my Jesus,
thou didst me upon the cross embrace;
for me didst bear the nails and spear,
and manifold disgrace.
And griefs and torments numberless and sweat of agony;
even death itself,
and all for one Who was thine enemy.
Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ
should I not love thee well?
not for the hope of winning heaven,
or of escaping hell.
not with the hope of gaining aught,
nor seeking a reward,
but as thyself has lovèd me,
O ever-loving Lord!
Even so I love thee, and will love
and in thy praise will sing,
solely because thou art my God,
and my eternal king.
[3]