Feast of St Francis Xavier, Patron of Missions and Missionaries : Tuesday 3rd December 2019

The messianic prophecy in today’s first reading refers to a future time when there will come a king who is described as “a shoot from the stump of Jesse”, that is, from the Davidic line. The spirit of the Lord will be upon him and he will do all that a righteous king should do. Then, a description of the transformation that will take place during his reign is mentioned. There will be an incredible transformation, one that no earthly king can achieve. It will be like the return to the Garden of Eden when everything was “good”. It will be an ideal world where “the wolf lives with the lamb” and “the panther lies down with the kid, calf and lion cub feed together.”

In such a world, a little child will lead them, the infant will play over the cobra’s hole, and the young child will place his hand over the viper’s lair and will not be harmed. This is in contrast with the present world and its leaders who depend on their political and military power. In the world of the righteous king, the supposed wisdom and power of human rulers count for nothing. In his intimate prayer to God, Jesus praises his Father for letting the “little ones” to understand who Jesus really is. It is a truth which because of its simplicity, is understood only by those to whom it is revealed. It means it is only the “little one”, the humble disciple who is able to see and hear and understand the Son, and the Father whom he reveals.

Lord, help me be humble.