St. Paul Miki and Companions

Welcome to Mass today. Today the Church remembers the Martyrdom of the Japanese Jesuit Priest: Paul Miki and his 25 companions who were executed for their faith on 5th February 1597 by the Japanese Authorities. May their example of faith during trial and adversity be a strength to us today.

As we continue with the Scripture readings for Week 4 in Ordinary Time. We journey once more with the Letter to the Hebrews, which reminds us of our need to offer an unending sacrifice of praise and to be obedient to our leaders as they look after us. Mindful of the martyrs we have that great psalm The Lord is my Shepherd: there is nothing I shall want. In St. Mark’s gospel Jesus teaches us the importance of rest, to recharge the batteries, because the work of the Lord is demanding. Never the less, we must also not be selfish when we are called upon by the need of our neighbour.

I offer this mass for the Bourke Family intentions.

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How many times have we planned a little rest period and the phone goes or the doorbell is activated and without recourse to our rest, we pick up the phone or answer the door?

Jesus, is insistent with his disciples that they should have time to rest and eat. He plans a period of rest, for himself and his disciples from the pressures of the apostolate. But moved by compassion for those who were lost like sheep he pushes to one side the siesta and starts to preach - feeding their souls and minds.

St. Paul Miki, a jesuit priest and native of Japan, was part of a large emerging Catholic movement, that grew, following the mission of St. Francis Xavier in the 16th Century. Such was this movement of growth and conversion of indigenous people that the Japanese authorities saw it as a great threat which would run counter to the powerful feudal political system of the time. Their solution was to crown with martyrdom, in an attempt to stamp out Catholicism, with the example of mass executions and burnings which would run for decades. These stalwart Japanese Christians would frequently recite prayers and chant the Magnificat or the Te Deum as they succumbed to their gruesome martyrdom.

Frustrated by the lack of effect, Japan closed its boarders to all foreign visitors in 1638 just 40 years after Paul Miki and his companions had been martyred. Japan eventually, reopened to the world in 1865, where with great faith thousands of convert Catholics came forward still clinging to the faith of their forefathers.

I can not help but draw a parallel with this country of ours where Catholicism was also pushed out and yet remained, taught down the centuries from parent to child. And yet now, we are loosing this cohesiveness, generations are being allowed to forget their faith, they are giving up on their sacrifice of praise. There are many people now finding them selves lost in the pandemic and not knowing where to turn, because such was the pull of consumerism and individualistic idolatry. Let us in obedience to our faith, help these lost sheep back, to show them the path to salvation.

The Martyrs were willing to pay an obedient price for the sake of the next generation, to demonstrate the importance of Christ’s mission to spread the good news, and the ultimate message of salvation of the world which Jesus taught us through his selfless action on the Cross.

Let us implore the Lord today, with praise, that our Sacrifice in his sight this day may be pleasing to the Lord, that He accept the sacrifice of praise we make, for the praise and glory of his name, for our good and the good of all his holy Church.

Amen.