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.
39 comments on “Francis Xavier vs. Nicolaus Zinzendorf”
Going with Zinzendorf today.
I really want to underline that Zinzendorf was a prolific writer of hymns. Here’s one appropriate for our Saintly Smackdown (we sing it to the tune Bedford):
Glory to God, whose witness-train, those heroes bold in faith,
Could smile on poverty and pain and triumph e’en in death.
Scorned and reviled, as was their Head, when walking here below,
Thus in this evil world they led a life of pain and woe.
God, Whom we serve, our God can save, can damp the scorching flame,
Can build an ark, or smooth a wave for such as fear His Name.
If but His arm support us still, is but His joy our strength,
We shall ascend the rugged hill and conquerors prove at length.
But I think my personal favorite of his hymns is O Thou to Whose All-Searching Sight. Here is a beautiful rendition of that hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcTywObI6_0
Tough choice today! That's what makes Lent Madness fun. 🙂
You had me at “There can be no Christianity without community.”
“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 was known to be hopeful while also being realistic; passionate while also realizing his limitations; …[to possess] a sensitivity to the realities of the people around him.”
This is what is needed today, and for that reason, I vote for Francis Xavier.
The hymns are singing to me. Nicky for the win.
My vote is not recording, I will try again later!
Not really a choice for me. My granddaughter is graduating from Saint Francis Xavier university next month. Located in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.CANADA
Greetngs to all out American friends from Ontario Canada
I’ve said Zinzendorf’s blessing for years not knowing where it came from so he gets the vote over FX! This Final Four is going to be as tough as the Basketball ones!
“Preach the Gospel. Die. Be forgotten”. For this admonition alone, Count Z should earn the Golden Halo.
Going with Zinzendorf today!
Nicolaus for me today, because of the hymns, and because I grew up saying his grace in a different translation:
Come Lord Jesus, be our guest; and let thy gifts to us be blessed.
I voted for Nicholas Zinzendorf. Every sentence in the write up made me smile and we need to smile right now. He just strikes me as a real person with a real faith and isn’t that the definition of a saint?
All alone, we're not even humanity,
nor Christ's Church, unless in community.
Count Z for the win!
Let's toast with fine Zin
once Easter ends Lenten frugality.
My vote went to St. Francis Xavier today. It was because of his understanding that God is present "in all cultures, peoples, places and things." I also believe that, and that God speaks to all of us in terms that we can understand. After all, Jesus didn't say that He came to redeem only his own followers, or his own culture. Over and over, He told us He came to save the world.
Oh, boy. Well, if Francis loses this one, it will be the first time in all my years of playing this game that I will have NO saint moving forward to the next round. LOL! Enjoying the write ups. Thanks bloggers!
As a Jesuit educated woman, specifically at Xavier University, it’s all Francis for me.
I chose N. Zinzendorf over the equally admirable F. Xavier for two reasons, apart from his beautiful Christian example. I love his prayer before meals. My husband and I have always included grace at meals, but now on my turn I offer N Zinzendorf's grace.
The second reason is that before my husband and I were married, I went through a great struggle of faith, and like Z, I wrote letters to God, many of them, all extremely long. So, I have voted for Nicolaus Z. I identify with him deeply.
The toughest choice of the elite eight comes on a Monday!
The prayer "Komm Herr Jesus, sei unser Gast, und segne was du uns aus Genaden bescheret hast." has always been our family prayer before meals. So simple , so pure.
A very, very hard choice today! Love both of these folks.
But, this tugged at my heart: "But his mission was to glorify and find God in all things – and to have an impact."
DONE FOR ME!
Interesting contrast between Francis Xavier and his mission ("come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ") and Sundar Singh trying to interpret European Christianity in terms of Indian experience and culture. I'm glad they weren't matched up directly! (Nicholas for me, in thanks for a lovely Christmas weekend in Bethlehem PA)
"...beliefs manifested as a child. He wrote letters to Jesus,..." I don't see the exact age that he actually wrote the letters, but written this way, my imagination/assumptions went into cuteness overload and Nicolaus gets today's vote.
I was moved by the account of Francis Xavier growing awareness of God’s presence in all cultures, peoples, place, and things. It is good to come across someone who came to a greater openness through their experiences, a quality to be celebrated and emulated in our increasingly divided world.
Please ask the Bracket Czar to post the Final Bracket for 2024 on the Wall of Fame page like all the other past years. I need to see it. PLEASE!
Oh man. You’re not making it easy.
“Multiculturalism/God’s presence already present in all cultures, peoples, place, and things” V. “All of life becomes a liturgy/200 hymns”??
You’re killin me, Smalls.
The prayer before meals is on a favorite pottery platter on my table. Love it. Zinzendorf it must be.
“All of life becomes a liturgy.” Sanctifying the quiet ordinary lives most of us lead.
I'm truly drawn to Zinzendorf and his idea of community, but in these times we need so much the ideas of paying attention to other cultures and being the ones to tell others about the Christ we love.
I surprised myself by voting for Xavier
Love the hymns.