HOMILY OF MONDAY OF THE 5TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs.
Gen 1:1-19, Mark 6:53-56.
THEME: SOMETHING OF JESUS
Quotes: “As Christians, we must have something of Jesus in us”. “We are dead wherever our presence has no relevance.”
“As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him. They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.”
Jesus never sought attention. He never struggled to get a crowd. The power that he carried and the mighty works that he does were enough to attract people to him. His values and relevance were enough points of attraction.
In like manner, can our lives be so attractive that people will begin to clip unto us? Having something of Jesus is a recipe for great work. We live in a world ladened with one problem or the other. Each person has his or her own peculiar challenges to face. Therefore, when we make ourselves available to be at the rescue of the downtrodden, when we put smiles on the faces of the sorrowful, when we meet the needs of the needy around us, our presence will always draw people to us.
We can simply pray for something of Jesus. Though his life in us will always produce an eternal urge to serve, we will never break down because he is there to do his work in us and through us.
St Paul Miki and Companions
He was born in Japan between 1564 and 1566. He joined the Society of Jesus and preached the gospel to the Japanese people with great success. When a persecution of the Catholics arose he was arrested together with twenty-five others. Mocked and tortured, they were eventually taken to Nagasaki on 5 February 1597, bound to crosses and speared.[Ref Universalis]
Shortly be they were killed, Paul Miki, “To his “congregation” he began by proclaiming himself a Japanese and a Jesuit. As he was dying for the Gospel he preached. He gave thanks to God for this wonderful blessing, and he ended his “sermon” with these words: “As I come to this supreme moment of my life, I am sure none of you would suppose I want to deceive you. And so I tell you plainly: there is no way to be saved except the Christian way. My religion teaches me to pardon my enemies and all who have offended me. I do gladly pardon the Emperor and all who have sought my death. I beg them to seek baptism and be Christians themselves.”
PRAYER
May Paul and companion pray for us, that we always have something of Jesus and that we may always represent him before all men and women. Amen.
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