
In 1552, he set out for China but was out ashore on to Sanchian Island, the gateway to China, with only his faithful convert Anthony to care for him. He died looking at the land where he wanted to take the Gospel to. He died without receiving the sacraments as there was no priest around. That day his relatives back in Spain in his family castle of Javier observed that the figure of crucified Christ sweated blood. It is an unusual statue of Our Lord as Jesus is smiling while on the cross. The smile of Jesus that shines out of suffering; the smile that reveals Jesus’ joy for having saved people. That recalcitrant clay was formed into a missionary who amidst isolation, loneliness, misunderstanding and physical exhaustion discovered the joy of answering with his life to the question he was asked by St Ignatius Loyola: “What am I doing for Christ?” He was giving his whole life for Christ.