Feb 6 - St. Paul Miki

+ St. Paul Miki (d.1597) and his companions were the first martyrs of the Far East. The Japanese ruler Hideyoshi initiated a persecution of Christians, when he became alarmed by the success of Francis Xavier’s mission, which had begun in 1549. To strike terror in the hearts of Christians, the ruler ordered that twenty-six Christians to be cruelly physically tortured and then be crucified and pierced with lances on a hill outside of Nagasaki on February 5, 1597. Those martyred included Paul Miki, a Jesuit priest/ scholastic, two Jesuit lay brothers, six Franciscans of whom four were Spanish; the fifth was from Mexico City (Peter Baptist, who later was named Mexico’s first saint, who is also the patron saint of Japan); the sixth was from Bombay.

The other seventeen included sixteen Japanese laypeople and one Korean. Among them were catechists, interpreters, a soldier, a physician, and three boys. At the end, they were marched 600 miles to their crucifixion, so they could be abused by, and be a lesson to, their countrymen; they sang the Te Deum on the way. Paul’s last sermon was delivered from the cross: this is part of what he had to say:

The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason that I die. I believe that I am telling the truth before I die. I know you believe me and I want to say to you all once again: Ask Christ to help you become happy. I obey Christ. After Christ's example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.

- Saint Paul Miki

Our readings today tell of “being sent” like the Apostles to bring the good news everywhere, and to every land. The Lord Jesus, the One who sends, already knows where he wants us to go, what he wants us to do, what we must endure, and the extra graces that we will need to accomplish his will. All we need do is to cooperate fully with our vocation – and we will be pleasing to him, and we will help the reign of God to grow!

The first reading reminds us that if Christ not only becomes our model in life, but actually our life’s vital principle: if we truly melt our lives into his, then we can endure anything, meet any opposition and come out victorious as he came out victorious, no matter the sufferings involved.

For it is true: those who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing! [Through the red cross of suffering to the gold cross of victory!] This is always true!