O Deus, ego amo te,
Nec amo te, ut salves me,
Aut, quia non amantes te
Æterno punis igne.
Tu, tu, mi Jesu, totum me
Amplexus es in cruce;
Tuliste clavos, lanceam,
Multamque ignominiam,
Innumeros dolores,
Sudores, et angores,
Et mortem, et hæc propter me,
Ac pro me peccatore.
Cur igitur non amem te,
O Jesu amantissime,
Non, ut in cœlo salves me,
Aut ne æternum damnes me,
Nec præmii ullius spe;
Sed sicut tu amasti me?
Sic amo et amabo te,
Solum quia Rex meus es,
Et solum, quia Deus es.
--St. Francis Xavier
Today is the feast of St. Francis Xavier, a founding member of the Society of Jesus.
"Francis Xavier (Francisco de Jassu y Javier, 1506-1552), was the first Jesuit missionary and the prototype who inspired many men to enter the Society of Jesus and evangelize far off nations."
For prayers in honor of St. Francis Xavier, click here.
For Wikipedia's detailed article, which includes a picture of the castle in which the saint was born and a map of his missionary voyages, click here.
The saint's relics, enshrined at Goa and at many other places, still draw pilgrims.
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