This year we celebrate the 450th anniversary of the death of Francis Xavier on a small, barren island just off the coast of south China. Soon after his burial, the body - still incorrupt - was exhumed and brought to Melaka and later moved again to Goa in India. Given the difficulties of travel in the 16th century, it was remarkable that one missionary could have served the Gospel over such a wide area (and he also spent time in Japan). It was an indication of the irrepressible zeal he had to share the Good News of Jesus with as many people as possible, many of them simple and uneducated people. The words of today's Gospel could be spoken to them: 'Happy the eyes that see what you see, for I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see, and never saw it, to hear what you hear, and never heard it." Thanks to the tireless efforts of Francis many heard and saw and found peace and comfort. Today's feast reminds us that we, too, are called to share our experience with Christ with the many who hunger to have a word of meaning, of joy and of peace, brought into their stressful lives.