Happy Monday! And welcome to the FINAL battle of the Saintly Sixteen as Francis Xavier takes on Nicolaus Zinzendorf. Who will snag the final spot in the Elate Eight? That's up to you and the next 24 hours.
On Friday, Verena of Zurzach trounced Lucy Yi Zhenmei 73% to 27% to advance to the next round.
Vote now!
Francis Xavier
We might try to convince ourselves otherwise, but the simple reality is that when the great majority of us are faced with danger – or even discomfort – we flee. Modernity has done many things to humanity, but most of all it has encouraged us to value our own ease above all else.
Francis Xavier, one of the original companions of Ignatius of Loyola, was among the original Jesuit missionaries in the Indian Subcontinent and East Asia. In undertaking this work, danger and discomfort were not simply inconveniences to be avoided – they were realities of daily life. “In this life, we found our greatest comfort living in the midst of danger,” he writes, “that is, if we confront them solely for the love of God.” Indeed, throughout his work Francis Xavier struggled with loneliness, depression, and feelings of underachievement.
His solace can be found in the cri de coeur of the Jesuit order: “ad majorem Dei gloriam” – to the greater Glory of God. Francis Xavier was known to be hopeful while also being realistic; passionate while also realizing his limitations. But his mission was to glorify and find God in all things – and to have an impact.
Also seen among Xavier’s life is a growing sensitivity to the realities of the people around him, what scholar Debra Mooney calls the beginning of “inculturation:” “he had a deep cross-cultural understanding and appreciated that God’s presence was already present in all cultures, peoples, place, and things. His appreciation is noteworthy because it was not always true of his beliefs. It grew out of his experiences… Xavier's experience of cultural plurality was ultimately exhilarating, but initially frustrating, confusing and challenging.”
Francis Xavier’s desire to share the good news of the gospel shines through in his works. In one letter, he encourages those back in continental Europe to “Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ.” Above all, he understood the reality that the life of discipleship is one that is shared and learned, not one that dawns on people from on high: “Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians.”
Nicolaus Zinzendorf
"There can be no Christianity without community."
To hear the words of Count Nicolaus von Zinzendorf is to witness a spirit-filled leader, a devout Christian, and a true humanitarian.
“All of life becomes a liturgy,” expresses Zinzendorf’s lifetime belief that all acts, no matter how big or small or routine, are forms of worship.
Born in Dresden, Germany in 1700, Zinzendorf’s deep Christian beliefs manifested as a child. He wrote letters to Jesus, and in 1716, while studying at the University of Wittenberg, Zinzendorf was inspired by Domenico Feti’s painting Ecce Homo, depicting Christ on the cross. "I have loved Him for a long time, but I have never actually done anything for Him,” he wrote. “From now on I will do whatever He leads me to do."
Zinzendorf welcomed his calling and embraced a dedicated life to God. His efforts established the Moravian Church, Unitas Fratrum (United Brethren) in North America. His life centered in a city he founded, Bethlehem, PA, which still displays a strong Moravian influence.
He was a prolific hymn writer with more than 200 to his credit, including one boasting 33 stanzas and sung in 90 languages around the globe:
Jesus, still lead on/Till our rest be won/And although the way be cheerless/We will follow, calm and fearless/Guide us by Thy hand to our fatherland.
All his hymns profess his deep spirituality:
Christian hearts, in love united, seek alone in Jesus rest; has he not your love excited? Then let love inspire each breast. Members on our Head depending, lights reflecting him, our Sun, brethren—his commands attending, we in him, our Lord, are one.
'Jesus, thy blood and righteousness', is considered his most famous:
Bold shall I stand in Thy great day; For who aught to my charge shall lay?/Fully absolved through these I am/From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
Jesus, the endless praise to Thee/Whose boundless mercy hath for me/For me a full atonement made/An everlasting ransom paid.
O let the dead now hear Thy voice/Now bid Thy banished ones rejoice/Their beauty this, their glorious dress/Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness.
Watch a YouTube movie on his life: “Count Zinzendorf: The Rich Young Ruler Who Said Yes.”
Many books highlight his far-reaching contributions to the Moravian Church, to Christianity in North America, to Native Americans, and to hymn singing.
Zinzendorf’s simple prayer before meals is a well-known favorite and is emblazoned on plates, wall-hangings, tea towels, and other items:
Come, Lord Jesus, our Guest to be; And bless these gifts bestowed by Thee.
49 comments on “Francis Xavier vs. Nicolaus Zinzendorf”
Francis Xavier for me. My granddaughter graduated from Xavier in Cincinnati. Great education.
One important-most Christian behavior
Is spreading the word of the savior
To India he went
And that's why come this Lent
I'll be voting for Francis Xavier
Going with Francis today, because I appreciate the words from David Sibley’s write-up: “[Francis] had a deep cross-cultural understanding and appreciated that God’s presence was already present in all cultures, peoples, place, and things. His appreciation is noteworthy because it was not always true of his beliefs. It grew out of his experiences…” Having lived in various places around the world, this idea of inculturation, and ecumenism, speaks to me through my multicultural lived experiences. This is especially relevant during this time of global upheaval when religious intolerance is creating division, hatred, fear and angst. Let’s emulate Francis Xavier’s model of cross-cultural understanding.
‘In this life , we found our greatest comfort living in the midst of danger,” he writes, “that is, if we confront them solely for the love of God. ‘
I love Frank!
This was a hard choice. But I appreciate Xavier’s realization that God was already there! We might have treated Native Americans better if white missionaries had approached them in that way. Xavier got my vote
I'm going with Francis Xavier because of the thousands of people he converted and the Christian communities in Nagasaki and India that are there because of him.
I have shared in other comments my relationship with the Moravian Church here in Nicaragua. I have to say: Go Zinzendorf! However, I also wanted to share this story.
The big Catholic church here in Ciudad Sandino where I live is dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier. The first time I visited that church I was less than pleased to see a statue of Saint Francis X looking very white and European, dressed in full clerical robes, with a very brown person in rags kneeling at his feet. I’m glad to say that as the years went by that statue appears to have been consigned to a storeroom somewhere and is no longer at the front of the church. Worshippers at Saint Francis Xavier are now freer to associate good news and service with their saint, rather than seeing him as a representative of colonialism and oppression, which apparently he was not although too many missionaries were.
Very interesting, but the familiar mealtime prayer "Come, Lord Jesus,…" is definitely _not_ by Zinzendorf. It was published in 1698, before Zinzendorf was born, in a schoolbook. Zinzendorf probably learned the prayer as a boy. Certainly his schoolmaster included it in a list of prayers spoken in Halle in 1712 when Zinzendorf was there.
Zinzendorf just because come Lord Jesus was our family table Grace when I was growing up.
Count Zed seems like a very "homely" saint to me, as in "he feels like home." While Xavier is part of the dashing, world-renowned Jesuits, the Wayne Gretzkys of religion, Count Zed is the guy at the "hot dish" meal. And he's in the seats yelling "Elbows up!" (If you know, you know.) ("Coudres en haut!" for the visiting Canadiens.) I really appreciate David Sibley's write-ups, but today I have to go with the "comfortable" Christian.
Really great film in 4 parts on Count Zinzendorf, his commitment, legacy, and historical significance.
Being raised Lutheran, "Come, Lord Jesus" has been my family's grace for over 150 years. Count Z. gets my vote today.
"To sing Hymns is to Pray Twice"--leads me to the Count.
My Quaker ancestors were Moravians in Germany before being recruited to Pennsylvania. So Nicolaus gets my vote.
Not pleased with the snide comment about Scott and Tim’s Monday Madness timeliness. I realize I’m missing them, a lot; but this was an un-funny and unnecessary remark.
@poetpotterpriest
Today the faithful vote for Count Zed
who never had to carry his severed head.
Medieval martyrdom was gory,
but only the butchered get the glory.
I’ll toast the saints with some sun-kissed red.
A hard decision. I voted for Francis (or would have, had the website accepted my vote) because, as a graduate of a Jesuit university, I appreciate the approach "ad majorem Dei gloriam".
However, I was not acquainted with Zizendorf before this Lent Madness and I appreciate learning about his emphasis on Christian community and "all life becomes a liturgy." I look forward to learning more about him.
Finally, successfully voted for Zinzendorf (on my laptop--my mobile kept stalling). I am an alumna of Loyola University Chicago, whose motto is, indeed, "ad majorem Dei gloriam," and although I am a lifelong Protestant, it still resonates with me--and I remember it every time I hood for a feast day or evensong (as a choir member).
I grew up not too far from Bethlehem, PA, a member of a German Reformed congregation that eventually assimilated into the UCC. We weren't Moravian, but we had kind of an affinity. My family would often go up to Bethlehem to see the beautiful, elaborate Christmas Putz at Central Moravian--and to see the gorgeous Moravian star that shines over the city at Christmas. We had a Moravian star of our own--and later, I began hanging my own over my front porch in central Illinois.
What decided me in favor of Zinzendorf, however, was his remark that there is no Christianity without community. It sent me back to a Sunday when a child in our church was baptized, and our pastor took the baby in his arms and walked up and down the church aisles to show her to us: "This is your newest member! She is your family now!" That left a deep impression on me. We are not alone; we cannot be alone. It's easy to come up with excuses not to come to church, but without us, there is no Church, no Christian community. So my vote today is definitely for Zinzendorf.
The Count had me at 33 stanzas.
So many ear worms keeping people humming about Christ and God’s love all week. Awesome.
As someone who’s always had a great deal of respect and admiration for the Jesuits—and was married by one—and whose uncle was a Xaverian brother, my vote had to go to Francis Xavier. Sorry to see that he’s not going to make it, but glad that I voted for him!