Memorial of Saints Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

The 26 priests and brothers honored today were arrested for being Christians. Taken to the public square of Meakoto to the city’s principal Shinto temple, they each had a piece of their left ear cut off and then were paraded from city to city for weeks with a man shouting their crimes of preaching the outlawed faith of Christianity. They were each repeatedly offered freedom if they would renounce Christianity. They each declined.

There is not much in the readings today directly applicable to these Japanese martyrs, save for the courage of John the Baptist in confronting Herod for his adultery, for which he also eventually paid with his life. If there is any link, it would be the integrity each of these martyrs showed. The Baptist could have simply kept his mouth shut. At least one of the Japanese martyrs could have caved in. None did.

None of us here is threatened with martyrdom these days. Our temptation is to cave in to the hedonistic and materialistic values of the society in which we live, so that our faith does not define who we are. It is simply one of the things that we do. Jesus’ relationship with the Father was not just one of the things that he did; it was central to who he was. It determined all his choices, his teaching, his treatment of all he met—all leading eventually to his death.

This is what we celebrate at every Mass: Jesus’ willingness to live his life as the Father wanted. He had the integrity not to cave in to the easy way. That is the example martyrs give us. That is the path Jesus asks us to follow as well.

Do I consciously live each day as a Christian so that it shapes everything I do?

Let Us Pray:

O Jesus, help me always to make you the center of my life, so that all I say and do is for your honor and glory.