When you think of the month of February, what are some of the things that come to mind? It would probably include: pink, red, flowers, sweets (maybe not after Ash Wednesday on February 17th), red envelopes, ao dai, and, of course, love! So, in this month of good feelings and gift-giving, St. Paul Miki and companions remind us that true love is sacrificial.
To understand their story, we must look to the circumstances of the time. The first European missionaries came to Japan in 1549 led by the Jesuit Francis Xavier with the goal of evangelization. Surprisingly, they were welcomed with open arms by the locals and successfully converted many to the faith. Paul Miki was born in 1562 in Settsu County, Japan to a wealthy noble family. At a young age, he had the privilege of studying with the Jesuits and it inspired him to join the Jesuits when he grew older. He eventually entered the Jesuits as a brother and was a brilliant preacher who converted many to the Catholic faith. In addition to his studies as a Jesuit, he learned about Buddhism because it was the dominant religion at the time. It was because of this that he was able to effectively defend the faith against the Buddhist monks who opposed him. He grew to have a following of people from all walks of life.
This did not go unnoticed by Emperor Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who began to persecute Catholics at the time because he was afraid of the growing influence of the Jesuits and the possibility of more European visitors coming to the country. The situation became so dangerous that the European missionaries either had to go into hiding or work undercover. By the time Paul and his companions were arrested, more than 3,000 Catholics had already been martyred. The 26 martyrs were tortured and forced to march 600 miles from Kyoto to Nagasaki through the freezing cold. While they were marching, they would come across people who gathered to see them. The companions used this chance to minister to the visitors and told them that martyrdom is an occasion of rejoicing, not sadness. For a remainder of the time, the 26 passed the time by singing songs of praise and praying the rosary before they reached their destination where they were to be crucified.
It was said that when Paul was being crucified, he was preaching a sermon to those who attended the execution. He even forgave his persecutors and asked them to turn to Christ. He was crucified with 25 other people of whom included: 2 Jesuit brothers, priests, secular Franciscans, catechists, artisans, doctors, servants, old men, and even young children. They all died on the cross when they were stabbed with lances. The Emperor intended for the public execution to intimidate the remaining Catholics, but it instead inspired them to profess their faith. If Paul had escaped, he would have become the first native-born priest in Japan because he had only just recently finished his studies.
Eventually Japan allowed Christians to freely worship in 1858. Missionaries would later discover that there were, in fact, thousands of Christians who practiced their faith in secret for 200 years! The 26 martyrs of Japan were the first martyrs in East Asia and here are some things we can learn from their lives which could help in our faith journey:
Have a ready defense for your faith. In 1 Peter 13:15, we are told by Peter that we must have an answer ready when others ask us about our faith. However, St. Paul knew that it was not enough, especially when he would be preaching a foreign religion to the Japanese culture. It was through learning about Buddhism, that he learned not only to defend the Catholic faith, but he also knew how to effectively dialogue with them since he understood where they were coming from. In fact, St. Paul the Apostle used this very tactic to convert the Jews and the Gentiles!
There are always opportunities to evangelize. Even as the companions were suffering during their march, they still used it as an opportunity to give hope to those that came to them. As carriers of God’s truth and light, we have the chance to do the same in our own life whether it be talking with friends, family, and even strangers. Even making the sign of the cross in public counts as well! If you find that you are having trouble with this, the Examen of Conciousness can be very helpful!
Finish well. St. Paul the Apostle implores us in 2 Timothy 4:7 to “finish the race and keep the faith.” By now, some of us have probably dropped some of our New Year's resolutions. If you have not, you know how hard it can be to stick to them. It is human nature to start strong, especially when it comes to our faith, and end poorly because we take things for granted. Near the end of the 40 years, Moses loses his patience and strikes a rock twice to produce water when he was instructed by God to only do so once. He repented, but was not allowed to see the Promised Land as a result. We can look to saints like the 26 Japanese martyrs for help when we need the graces to persevere in our faith.
Maybe it’s a coincidence that the lives of St. Paul Miki and his companions are celebrated the same month as the beginning of Lent. Perhaps we are not yet called by God to martyrdom. We can, however, prepare ourselves little by little during the Lenten season to not only carry our own cross, but to become strong enough to help others along the way as we make our journey back our loving Father.
If you feel that you need God’s grace to persevere in your faith, here is a good prayer to look to:
O God, strength of all the Saints,
who through the Cross
were pleased to call the Martyrs Saint Paul Miki and companions to life,
grant, we pray, that by their intercession we may hold with courage
even until death to the faith that we profess.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Be awesome and blossom 🌱
By: anh Daniel
Commentaires