On Martyr's Hill[Saint Paul Miki and Companions]

baobab.or ^ | 00/00/00 | Diego Yuki, S.J.

[Lady In Blue]

ping

[nickcarraway]

Interesting. Fr. Yuki is a Jesuit.

[Lady In Blue]

Yes but what kind of surprised me a little that there were apparently Franciscans in Japan at that time. I always thought it was only the Jesuits who were in the Far-East at that time.

[Salvation]

This is such a touching story. Thanks for posting it.

[Lady In Blue]

You're welcome,Salvation. Glad that you came on.

[JMJ333]

Traditional Holy Card

God our Father,
source of strength for all your saints,
you led Paul Miki and his companions
through the suffering of the cross
to the joy of eternal life.
May their prayers give us the courage
to be loyal until death in professing our faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

[Salvation]

BTTT of 02-06-04

God bless all these martyrs of Japan.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Wow.

[Salvation]

BTTT on the Memorial of St. Paul Mike, martyrs and his companions, martyrs on February 6, 2006!

[Salvation]

That Holy Card says so much even without the words.

[Salvation]

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

February 6, 2006

St. Paul Miki and Companions

(d. 1597)

Nagasaki, Japan, is familiar to Americans as the city on which the second atomic bomb was dropped, killing hundreds of thousands. 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 a 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” (Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, 42, Austin Flannery translation).

[Salvation]

Saint of the Day Ping!

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[SuziQ]

Our daughter and I went to Japan this past summer. There was a gorgeous mosaic mural on the wall of the Fransciscan Center Chapel that was created from pottery from each of the villages along the way of the march of the martyrs, though I can't remember now if it was they march of Paul Miki and his companions or the Martyrs of Tokyo.

[lightman]

"The Son of God Goes Forth to War"
by Reginald Heber, 1783-1826)

1. The Son of God goes forth to war
A kingly crown to gain.
His blood-red banner streams afar;
Who follows in His train?
Who best can drink His cup of woe,
Triumphant over pain,
Who patient bears his cross below--
He follows in His train.

2. The martyr first whose eagle eye
Could pierce beyond the grave,
Who saw His Master in the sky
And called on Him to save.
Like Him, with pardon on His tongue,
In midst of mortal pain,
He prayed for them that did the wrong--
Who follows in his train?

3. A glorious band, the chosen few,
On whom the Spirit came,
Twelve valiant saints; their hope they knew
And mocked the cross and flame.
They met the tyrant's brandished steel,
The lion's gory mane;
They bowed their necks the death to feel--
Who follows in their train?

4. A noble army, men and boys,
The matron and the maid,
Around the Savior's throne rejoice,
In robes of light arrayed.
They climbed the steep ascent of heav'n
Thro' peril, toil, and pain.
O God, to us may grace be giv'n
To follow in their train!

Hymn #452
The Lutheran Hymnal
Text: 1 Timothy 6:12
Author: Reginald Heber, 1827
Composer: Henry S. Cutler, 1872
Tune: "All Saints New"

[Rosary]

And so..in the feast of the martyrs,all should be reminded-the seriousness the Catholic faith and the Faith unto death that they had..
Pray for the CONVERSION of sinners!

[Salvation]

Amen!

[Salvation]

That sounds so beautiful. (And to me) a little on the emotional side -- just thinking about all the villages they must have walked through -- whether it was these martyrs or the ones from Tokyo that you mentioned. Do you have a pictures?

[Salvation]

St. Paul Miki was in such intimate communion with Christ that, as he hung on a cross dying, he spoke: "I hope my blood will fall on my fellow man as a fruitful rain."

[SuziQ]

Yes, I do have pictures of it. I'll need to load them onto my York account. I'll try to do that later this morning. This was along almost an entire wall of the Franciscan Chapel Center in the Rippongi district of Tokyo. The first Sunday we were there, my friend located a Church for us, but Mass was in Japanese. My daughter understood what was being said during the sermon, but I didn't. My friend asked if it was OK that I didn't understand the Japanese during Mass, and I said it was fine, because I knew the parts of the Mass, it didn't matter what language they were using.

The Mass at the Franciscan Center was in English. It seems to be a gathering place for Westerners who are living in Tokyo. The chapel also has a gorgeous statue of Mary, who has Japanese features.