Francis Xavier and The Crab

https://www.beyondeasy.net/2014/05/xavier-and-crab-accretion-of-myth-onto.html

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t Jerome, the great translator of Scripture, often reminded us that the Word of God must be approached with a pure heart, free from preconceived ideas, so that the Holy Spirit may teach us anew. Some time ago, while trying to follow his counsel, I set aside my assumptions and allowed the text to speak for itself. And there, almost hidden in plain sight, was a line I had read countless times: “Preach the gospel to every creature.” At first I doubted the translation, but when I checked the Greek—πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει—it was even more startling. It truly means “to all creation,” “to every creature.” In that moment it felt as though the gospel had tilted and widened, revealing a dimension we rarely dare to explore.

This command is not merely geographic; it is cosmic. It reaches to birds, waters, winds, forests, and living beings we hardly notice. Eight hundred years before our time, St Francis of Assisi walked into this verse with childlike simplicity. Famously, he preached to a flock of birds, inviting them to praise God for their wings, their colors, and the air that held them aloft. They listened quietly until he blessed them. In his Canticle of the Creatures—Brother Sun, Sister Moon, Brother Wind, Sister Water—he sang not to nature, but through nature, praising God with creation as his choir.

And perhaps this is part of what “every creature” means. As I walk outside, I sometimes sense creation preaching back: trees speaking of rootedness, water teaching gentle strength, birds declaring trust, mountains announcing patience. Ani DiFranco once sang, “Buildings and bridges are no match for the air, my friend. What doesn’t bend, breaks.” She learned resilience from creation’s silent wisdom. Scripture is not asking us to deliver sermons to birds; it is revealing a deeper communion in which creation proclaims God’s truth with its own language of the heart.

Yet we must be clear: we do not worship creation. Psalm 77 reminds us, “What god can compare with our God?” None. Creation is beloved, not divine. We are stewards who offer its fruits—grain for bread, grapes for wine, the timber that becomes our altars—not as idols, but as gifts to the Creator whose glory they reflect.

Today, on the feast of St Francis Xavier, we see this communion with creation in another surprising way. In 1546, while sailing to Malacca, the saint and his companions were caught in a terrifying storm. Waves towered and winds howled as though the sea meant to swallow the ship. In the midst of the chaos, Xavier lowered his crucifix into the raging waters and prayed. The change was sudden and astonishing: the winds softened, the waves settled, and the sea became smooth as glass. But in calming the storm, the crucifix slipped from his hand and vanished into the deep. When they reached land the next morning, Xavier went to the shore to pray. As the sun rose, a small glimmer appeared on the water. A crab slowly emerged, carrying the lost crucifix in its claw, and placed it at the saint’s feet. Tradition holds that a species of crab in that region still bears a natural cross marking on its shell—a quiet witness to faith, the sea, and the creatures that dwell within it.

In Francis Xavier, we glimpse the same truth proclaimed by Francis of Assisi and rooted in Mark’s Gospel: creation is not merely a stage on which salvation happens, but a partner in the drama of grace. The sea listened. A creature responded. The gospel reached beyond words and touched the very fabric of creation.

So today, remembering St Jerome’s humility before the Word, St Francis of Assisi’s reverence for all creatures, and St Francis Xavier’s trust in the God who speaks through wind and wave, we take Jesus’ command with newfound wonder: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Creation listens. Creation teaches. Creation joins us in praising the Creator. And in that vast communion, we discover that the gospel is not only for humans, but for the whole of God’s beloved world. Amen. Fr JM Manzano SJ