St. Paul Miki and Companions
(d. 1597)
Nagasaki, Japan, is familiar to Americans as the city on
which the second atomic bomb was dropped, immediately killing over 37,000
people. Three and a half centuries before, 26 martyrs of Japan were crucified
on a hill, now known as the Holy Mountain, overlooking Nagasaki. Among them
were priests, brothers and laymen, Franciscans, Jesuits and members of the
Secular Franciscan Order; there were catechists, doctors, simple artisans and
servants, old men and innocent children—all united in a common faith and love
for Jesus and his Church.
Brother Paul Miki, a Jesuit and a native of Japan, has
become the best known among the martyrs of Japan. While hanging upon a cross,
Paul Miki preached to the people gathered for the execution: “The sentence of
judgment says these men came to Japan from the Philippines, but I did not come
from any other country. I am true Japanese. The only reason for my being killed
is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I certainly did teach the
doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason I die. I believe that I
am telling only 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 to 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.”
When missionaries returned to Japan in the 1860s, at first
they found no trace of Christianity. But after establishing themselves they
found that thousands of Christians lived around Nagasaki and that they had
secretly preserved the faith. Beatified in 1627, the martyrs of Japan were
finally canonized in 1862.
Comment:
Today a new era has come for the Church in Japan. Although the number of
Catholics is not large, the Church is respected and has total religious
freedom. The spread of Christianity in the Far East is slow and difficult.
Faith such as that of the 26 martyrs is needed today as much as in 1597.
Quote:
“Since Jesus, the Son of God, showed his love by laying down his life for us,
no one has greater love than they who lay down their lives for him and for
their sisters and brothers (see 1 John 3:16; John 15:13). Some Christians have
been called from the beginning, and will always be called, to give this
greatest testimony of love to everyone, especially to persecutors. Martyrdom
makes disciples like their master, who willingly accepted death for the
salvation of the world, and through it they are made like him by the shedding
of blood. Therefore, the Church considers it the highest gift and as the
supreme test of love. And while it is given to few, all, however, must be
prepared to confess Christ before humanity and to follow him along the way of
the cross amid the persecutions which the Church never lacks” (Vatican II, Dogmatic
Constitution on the Church, 42, Austin Flannery translation).
source: http://www.americancatholic.org/
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