JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM
DAY 2 - WITH THE HEAVENLY FATHER
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God, the Father is not much-known face and Person of the Most Holy Trinity.
To grow in the Love of God and help others to do the same for the Greater Glory of God!
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God, the Father is not much-known face and Person of the Most Holy Trinity.
[11] - THE JOY OF HAVING JESUS
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Human beings have become more stupid and idiotic than ever.
Yes, you have heard me right – we have become more foolish, stupid
and idiotic than the previous generations.
We are living in a world of joylessness and a long list of
negative feelings of discontent, excitableness, disappointment,
dissatisfaction, displeasure, worry, sadness, trouble, misery,
unhappiness, upset, agitation, discomfort, and etc.
We have become sadder and more hopeless than previous
generations. Having become the most equipped generation ever lived on the face
of the earth, we should have become wiser and more intelligent, sadly the opposite
is true.
We are standing under the hot sun seeking chillness and checking
the fridge for hot coffee.
God’s word through the prophet Isaiah so many thousand years
ago proves right even today.
Isaiah 55
An Invitation to Abundant Life
Ho, everyone who thirsts,
come to the waters;
and you that have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend your money for that which
is not bread,
and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
3 Incline your ear, and come to me;
listen, so that you may live.
I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
my steadfast, sure love for David.
4 See, I made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander for the peoples.
5 See, you shall call nations that you do not know,
and nations that do not know you shall run to you,
because of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel,
for he has glorified you.
6 Seek
the Lord while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the Lord, that he may have mercy on them,
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain
and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the
earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
12 For you shall go out in joy,
and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
shall burst into song,
and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall be to the Lord for a memorial,
for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.
NEHEMIAH 8:10
“The joy of the Lord is your strength.”
We are
reflecting on THE JOY OF
HAVING JESUS in our life.
Joy isn't emotional, in the sense that we commonly think of
joy; rather, it is the state of being undisturbed by the negative things
in life.
12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit
CCC 1832
The fruits of the Spirit are perfections that the Holy Spirit
forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church
lists twelve of them: Charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity. (Gal
5:22-23 VULG)
“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” - St. Augustine of Hippo
Joylessness is restlessness and this restlessness is
Jesus-lessness. This restlessness can be compared to a mother who has lost her
child in a crowd. The longer it gets the greater is the intensity of the restlessness
of the mother.
We are doing what St. Augustine did before his conversion,
seeking for God where He is not.
“Men go abroad to wonder
at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses
of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the
stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering.” – Saint Augustine
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/saint-augustine-quotes
"Belatedly I loved thee, O Beauty so ancient and so new,
belatedly I loved thee. For see, thou wast within and I was without, and I
sought thee out there. Unlovely, I rushed heedlessly among the lovely things
thou hast made. Thou wast with me, but I was not with thee. These things kept me
far from thee; even though they were not at all unless they were in thee. Thou
didst call and cry aloud, and didst force open my deafness. Thou didst gleam
and shine, and didst chase away my blindness. Thou didst breathe fragrant odors
and I drew in my breath; and now I pant for thee. I tasted, and now I hunger
and thirst. Thou didst touch me, and I burned for thy peace."
Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the
Teacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the
Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
3 What do people gain from all the toil
at which they toil under the sun?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
5 The sun rises and the sun goes down,
and hurries to the place where it rises.
6 The wind blows to the south,
and goes around to the north;
round and round goes the wind,
and on its circuits the wind returns.
7 All streams run to the sea,
but the sea is not full;
to the place where the streams flow,
there they continue to flow.
8 All things are wearisome;
more than one can express;
the eye is not satisfied with seeing,
or the ear filled with hearing.
9 What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there a thing of which it is said,
“See, this is new”?
It has already been,
in the ages before us.
11 The people of long ago are not remembered,
nor will there be any remembrance
of people yet to come
by those who come after them.
The Futility of Seeking Wisdom (To know is to increase sorrow.)
12 I, the Teacher, when
king over Israel in Jerusalem, 13 applied my mind to seek and to
search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business
that God has given to human beings to be busy with. 14 I saw all the
deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.
15 What is crooked
cannot be made straight,
and what is lacking cannot be counted.
16 I said to myself,
“I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before
me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And
I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived
that this also is but a chasing after wind.
18 For in much
wisdom is much vexation,
and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.
Mary has been the most joyful human person lived on the earth; not because he was rich, intelligent, learned or powerful in the eyes of the world, but because she had Jesus in her womb first and then in her being thereafter. Always she was in constant communion with Him, evena fter giving birth to Him.
St. Augustine too experienced the same. He was surely very
intelligent, must have been powerful. When he was away from Jesus, he was restless
as we have seen earlier. Once he realised the indwelling Jesus, he became
joyful. His powerful writings are still motivations for us to follow his
footsteps.
How can we do it?
Is the same Jesus, who was within Mary and Augustine, within
you?
The Sacraments and the Word of God are means of experiencing
this same Jesus. We encounter the Lord in the Sacraments, rather He encounters
us as it’s His doing.
Guided Meditation:
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
EVANGELII GAUDIUM
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
ON THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL
IN TODAY’S WORLD
1. The joy of the gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who
encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow,
inner emptiness and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born
anew. In this Exhortation I wish to encourage the Christian faithful to embark
upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by this joy, while pointing out new
paths for the Church’s journey in years to come.
I. A joy ever new, a joy which is shared
2. The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as
it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet
covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted
conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own
interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the
poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer
felt, and the desire to do good fades. This is a very real danger for believers
too. Many fall prey to it, and end up resentful, angry and listless. That is no
way to live a dignified and fulfilled life; it is not God’s will for us, nor is
it the life in the Spirit which has its source in the heart of the risen
Christ.
3. I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this
very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an
openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly
each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for
him or her, since “no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord”.
Trust and Joy in the Midst of Trouble
17 Though the fig
tree does not blossom,
and no fruit is on the vines;
though the produce of the olive fails,
and the fields yield no food;
though the flock is cut off from the fold,
and there is no herd in the stalls,
18 yet I
will rejoice in the Lord;
I will exult in the God of my salvation.
19 God, the Lord, is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
and makes me tread upon the heights.
- Do I have joy in my life?
- Where do I search for joy?
- Is Jesus present in my life?
- Do I want to be joyful?
- Am I like Mary or like St. Augustine before his conversion?
- Am I willing to search for joy where I can find it, i.e., in Jesus?
Saint to learn from – St. Augustine
Kindly learn about and from this great saint to find real joy in life.
Biblical verses for reflection:
- Isaiah 55
- Nehemiah 8:10
- Ecclesiastes 1
- Habakkuk 3
The document to study:
Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium of the Holy Father Francis
On the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today’s
World
JOURNEY WITH MARY
[10] - CONCEIVING THE SON OF GOD – THE WORD – WITHIN US
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Consuming the Son of God – the Word – within us is the call to become Christ-like.
THE CALL TO BECOME CHRIST-LIKE
Purpose of human life, according to God, is to become
members of the Divine Family of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God is holy and only anyone holy can enter into the Family of God. To be holy
is to be attached to Christ, to become a member of His Body.
The Sacrament of Baptism demands from us that we become
Christ-like. We have been grafted into Christ and get the life sap from Him. As
St. Paul writing to the Romans says,
Romans 11:17 (New International Version)
“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root,”
Galatians 4:19
“My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of
childbirth until
Christ is formed in you.”
Hebrews 12:14
“Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE
Our conceiving the Son of God is possible only with the
Grace of God; as Mary conceived the Word, we could also do.
God chose Mary to be the Mother of His only Son. She
consumed by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:26-38
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was
Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The
Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and
pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to
her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with
God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,
and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called
the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his
ancestor David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and
of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be,
since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit
will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36 And
now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this
is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing
will be impossible with God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant
of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed
from her.
What we are is the product of our thoughts. Most often our
thoughts are unconsciously chosen from the world – environment, friends,
family, society.
What we would become in the future is the product of what we
are thinking now.
Romans 12:2
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of
God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Colossians 3:2
Set your mind on the
things above, not on the things that are on earth.
“Now the parable is this:
the seed is the word of God.
Proverbs 23:7
"As someone thinks within himself, so he is."
Dr. Caroline Leaf says this in her book Switch On Your Brain,
“As we think, we change the physical nature of our brain.
As we consciously direct our thinking, we can wire out toxic patterns of
thinking and replace them with healthy thoughts.”
Romans 12:2
"Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."
Psalm 46:10
“Be still and know that I am God.”
The powerful effects of prayer and meditation have been
well-documented in recent years, again confirming what Christians should
already know.
Capturing your thoughts requires stillness, and many Christians have no time. And as long as we have no time for prayer, our thoughts, emotions, and feelings will continue calling the shots.
Whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.
Characteristics of Divine Thoughts:
- Noble
- Right
- Pure
- Lovely
- Admirable
- Excellent
- Praiseworthy
What you choose to see determines your reality. You have the
power to change your reality by shifting your focus.
Dr. Leaf says, “When you think, you build thoughts, and these become physical substances in your brain.”
Galatians 2:19 -20
"For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Points
for Reflection:
Ø Do I want to become a member of the Divine Family?
Ø Is it the most important priority in my life?
Ø Am I willing to sacrifice everything reach this goal?
Ø What is the place of the Sacraments and the Word of God in my life?
Biblical
Verses for Reflection:
Ø Romans 11:17 (New International Version)
Ø Galatians 4:19
Ø Hebrews 12:14
Ø Luke 1:26-38
Ø Romans 12:2
Ø Colossians 3:2
Ø Luke 8:11
Ø Romans 12:2
Ø Psalm 46:10
Ø Philippians 4:8
Ø Galatians 2:19 -20
Ø Luke 2:19
If you have no idea how to reflect and personalise the Word
of God, follow the link:
https://frcgeorgemclaret.blogspot.com/2020/10/a-way-to-reflect-word-of-god.html
Action
Plan:
Ø Prepare a plan to read, meditate and personalise the Word of God.
Ø Make it your top priority and stick to it.
JOURNEY WITH MARY
Epi. 9 - BECOMING THE HUMBLEST SLAVE
Greater Glory of God Podcast
Presenting JOURNEY WITH MARY Episode No. 9 - BECOMING THE HUMBLEST SLAVE
To listen to Fr. George Mary Claret, reflecting on this mystery, click
“Better than” attitude is found in every walk of life.
Appearance,
talents, money, properties, achievements etc.
I’m not
very sure if there is anyone who doesn’t have this attitude.
This attitude
causes either superiority complex or inferiority complex.
To put it
in one word – it is called pride.
Are you proud
or humble?
If anyone
feels or thinks to be humble, he ceases to be so. Pride has entered into his
heart.
Therefore it’s
a great challenge to be humble in this world, where a person’s value is dependent
on what one accomplishes.
The world has
become a market and everyone seems to have become a businessman/businesswoman,
advertising, promoting, and selling oneself.
Thus it is
very difficult even to talk about it.
“Humility is the mother
of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our
love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch
you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are
blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put
yourself on a pedestal.”
― St. Mother Teresa, In the Heart of the World:
Thoughts, Stories and Prayers
JESUS is the HUMBLEST being of all.
Therefore to be humble is to be God-like.
The more we grow in humility, the more we become Christ-like
/ God-like.
Mary is the HUMBLEST human being.
1 Peter 5:5:
“Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”
The opposite of humility is pride.
Pride is to act independently, to go against the will of the
Lord, and take personal credit for what is actually accomplished by the grace
of God. Humility, on the other hand, is to never do my will, for my own
interest, to never consider my capacity and accomplishments to be my own. Because
what I am and what I have, including my talents, abilities, and even life, belong to God. This realization effects / produces actual humility.
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself it is
thinking of yourself less.” – CS Lewis
St. Alphonsus gives us reasons to call Mary the humblest:
Firstly, Mary was truly humble because she gave all the glory to God for everything good
in her life: "A soul that is truly humble refuses
her own praise, and should praises be bestowed upon her, she refers them all to
God."
This is precisely what Mary did when she went to meet her cousin Elizabeth in
the Visitation (Lk 1:39-45):
Behold, Mary is disturbed at hearing herself praised by St.
Gabriel; and when St. Elizabeth said "Blessed art thou among women ... and
whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? ... Blessed
art thou that hast believed," Mary referred all to God and answered in
that humble Canticle, "My soul doth magnify the Lord."
Secondly, Humility means always being more eager to serve
than be served.
Thirdly, St. Alphonsus points out that Mary did not push herself "into the limelight"
during her Son's public ministry, but chose to remain mostly in the background.
In one sentence, humility is the ability to see oneself in relation to God.
Summary:
-
What are your strengths?
-
What are your weaknesses?
-
Can you see God as the source of all that you
are and you have?
-
Who is the God of your life – yourself or God?
- What can you learn from Mary’s humility?
Biblical Passages for Reflection:
JOURNEY WITH MARY
EPISODE 8 - COMMITMENT TO BE PART OF THE MISSION AND BECOMING THE YES
Greater Glory of God Podcast
Presenting JOURNEY WITH MARY Episode No. 8 - Commitment to be Part of the Mission and Becoming the Yes.
To listen to Fr. George Mary Claret, reflecting on this mystery, click the link:
Saying Yes to God is essential to find meaning in our life. Most often, saying Yes is not very difficult, but committing to the Yes is. It is very essential to BECOME the YES as did Mary. It is very challenging and could be impossible without the grace of God!
Commitment is dedication, devotion, allegiance, loyalty, faithfulness, and fidelity.
But what is the Mission? The other name for Jesus could be MISSION.
Jesus is THE MISSION of the Father!
He is the ONLY Real Missionary, sent by the Father.
Jesus as the Son of the Father and the Missionary of the
Father cannot be separated. Similarly, by sharing in the Sonship of Jesus, we
naturally become Missionaries sharing in the Mission. Being a child of God, the
Father and being a Missionary with Jesus are inseparable.
COMMITMENT TO FOLLOW THE MISSION AND BECOMING THE YES is the natural outcome of being adopted as the children of God, the Father. It’s in being a missionary – exercising the responsibility – that we come to enjoy the sonship in its reality.
It demands
COMMITMENT and dedication to BECOME the Yes, to become a MISSIONARY following
the footsteps of the Missionary, Jesus.
Mary lived
up to this demand by committing to become the Yes.
An
incident:
An elderly
priest was asked, “Father, when did you decide to become a priest?”
He
answered, “Today”. He meant to say that it’s a lifelong commitment which
demands everyday renewal and decision. It’s 24X7.
Saying
“Yes” in the first instant is not difficult. It is the same for anyone of us as it
was for Mary. Saying “Yes” when I joined the seminary was not that challenging
and difficult, but as I live my priestly life, it’s too challenging and even at
times overwhelming, beyond my power. I think that the same must be applicable
to you too – whatever the way of life and vocation you have chosen to live.
Behold many
have gone ahead of us!
What are
you still thinking about?
Being committed is being faithful.
St. Mother Teresa
said, “Be faithful in small things because it is in them that
your strength lies.”
In an another incident, she said, “God has called us to be faithful and not successful.”
Luke 16:10 “Whoever
is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest
in a very little is dishonest also in much.”
JOURNEY WITH MARY
[7] SAYING “YES” – COOPERATION IN THE MISSION OF GOD
Have you finished the reflection and reading?
How do you feel?
In this 7th Episode, we are going to reflect on SAYING
“YES” – COOPERATION IN THE MISSION OF GOD
We have reflected
enough on the nature of our being – our predestination, created by God in his
own image and likeness, being special & precious to God, dedicated to God
and the necessity to be silent and in solitude. We are going to the next stage
towards our end – our decisive actions, from being to becoming and doing!
Through the the practice of silence and solitude we can raise our awareness and consciousness
to that of the Divine, where we can experience and receive the flow of grace
from God.
ü We let God love us
The lover
becomes like the beloved and the INCARNATION is the expression and effect of
the love God has for us. It was not to be in our weak fragile state forever,
rather to raise our state to that of His.
The Son
became one of us – a member of the Human Family – so that we could become
members of the Divine Family.
Once the
beloved has fully experienced the love of the lover, the beloved is enabled to
become the lover. The change of role in this love relationship with God is very
essential. God who loves us desires our love for Him, that’s why He asked us to
love Him exclusively with our entire being, without any limit.
John 19:28, “I am thirsty.”
It is the cry of the Divine for
human love as have many Saints written describing this verse.
St. Teresa of
Calcutta was very devoted to the thirsting Christ on the Cross. “I Thirst”
is written along the Crucifix in the Chapels of the Convents of the
Missionaries of Charity. She told the sisters:
“‘I thirst’ is something much deeper than Jesus just saying
‘I love you.’ Until you know deep inside that JESUS THIRSTS FOR YOU—you can’t begin to know who He wants to be
for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.”
(March 1993, Letter to the Missionaries of Charity)
About this
we have already reflected in the 5th episode DEDICATED TO GOD – Total CONSECRATION – choosing God above everyone and
everything else. If you have not listened to it, please do listen and reflect
on that as well.
To listen to the 5th episode, kindly click the link:
ü When we receive God’s love, we learn to see things from the Divine perspective.
The fruits
of this state is:
Ø To see as God sees
Ø To think as He thinks
Ø The ability to see the BEYOND – not merely the visible
Ø Readiness to see the BEYOND
Luke 1:26-38
THE
ANNUNCIATION
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God
to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was
Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The
Lord is with you.” 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered
what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do
not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now,
you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him
Jesus. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most
High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor
David. 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his
kingdom there will be no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can
this be, since I am a virgin?”[c] 35 The angel said to her, “The
Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow
you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be holy; he will be called Son
of God. 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also
conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be
barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with
God.” 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it
be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
The decision to say YES is the result
of :
-
The
ability to see as God sees
-
Willingness
to die to one’s desires and plans
-
Ability
to see beyond the temporary in the light of the permanent
-
Readiness
to give up oneself
-
And
most importantly, the expression of one’s love for God and human beings
Questions for
Reflection:
· Have I said “Yes” to God?
· What is preventing me from saying “Yes”
to God?
· How can I overcome it and say “Yes”?
· Have I let God love me? Or am I withholding
myself from God?
· How can I let God love me?
Biblical
Passages for Reflection:
Luke 1:26-38
John 19:28
John 1:35-51
Life of Saints
St.
Francis Xavier