# Setting Priorities in Advent
*2008-12-01*

> Bill Young reflects on the importance of setting priorities during Advent, using St. Francis Xavier’s missionary zeal as a model and offering a prayer to release burdens.

## Opening Prayer

Hail and blessed be the hour and the moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother.

## St. Francis Xavier: A Model of Missionary Zeal

Today is the feast of St. Francis Xavier, the great apostle of the Orient. He mastered languages and served in Ceylon, Indonesia, India, and Japan, with a particular longing to bring the Gospel to China. After ten years of preparation, he fell ill just six miles from the Chinese shore and asked his companions to take him there so that the last thing he would see on earth would be China. He died at 46, leaving many projects unfinished. His life reminds us that the most worthwhile projects are those we undertake in partnership with God, trusting that He sees the bigger picture.

## Why Priorities Matter in Advent

In the weeks ahead we will be urged to take on more than we can afford—more tasks, more expenses, more commitments. Frustration, lack of time, and scarcity of resources will surface. We must discern what is truly life‑giving and surrender the rest to God. Like Xavier, we are called not only to work hard but also to say, “I will be done,” and mean it.

## A Simple Advent Exercise

Take a moment to name the habit or activity in your December routine that most weighs you down. Write it on a slip of paper and place it under your Advent wreath as you light the candle. Ask God for the strength to release its control over you.

## Prayer for Guidance

Lord, help me know the path that leads away from you. God of justice, reveal the obstacles that keep me from following your will. Grant me the courage to let go of what hinders my love for you.

*Advent invites us to prioritize what truly matters, trusting God to guide us in letting go of burdens that distract from His love.*