THE MEMORIAL OF ST PAUL MIKI, SJ AND COMPANION MARTYRS.
MEMORIAL OF ST PAUL MIKI, SJ & COMPANION MARTYRS.
"King Herod heard about Jesus, for his fame had become widespread,
and people were saying,
“John the Baptist has been raised from the dead;
that is why mighty powers are at work in him.”
Others were saying, “He is Elijah”;
still others, “He is a prophet like any of the prophets.”
But when Herod learned of it, he said,
“It is John whom I beheaded. He has been raised up.”
Herod was the one who had John arrested and bound in prison
on account of Herodias,
the wife of his brother Philip, whom he had married.
John had said to Herod,
“It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”
Herodias harbored a grudge against him
and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so.
Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,
and kept him in custody.
When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed,
yet he liked to listen to him.
Herodias had an opportunity one day when Herod, on his birthday,
gave a banquet for his courtiers, his military officers,
and the leading men of Galilee.
His own daughter came in and performed a dance
that delighted Herod and his guests.
The king said to the girl,
“Ask of me whatever you wish and I will grant it to you.”
He even swore many things to her,
“I will grant you whatever you ask of me,
even to half of my kingdom.”
She went out and said to her mother,
“What shall I ask for?”
Her mother replied, “The head of John the Baptist.”
The girl hurried back to the king’s presence and made her request,
“I want you to give me at once on a platter
the head of John the Baptist.”
The king was deeply distressed,
but because of his oaths and the guests
he did not wish to break his word to her.
So he promptly dispatched an executioner
with orders to bring back his head.
He went off and beheaded him in the prison.
He brought in the head on a platter
and gave it to the girl.
The girl in turn gave it to her mother.
When his disciples heard about it,
they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb." (Mark 6: 14 - 29).
Friday, February 6th 2025 in the 4th Week of Ordinary Time is the Memorial of St Paul Miki, SJ and companion martyrs.
February 6th is the First Friday in February 2026.
We honor the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
St Paul Miki was a Japanese Jesuit seminarian. He was crucified with 25 other companion martyrs. St Paul Miki faced death courageously in Nagasaki, Japan in 1597 and thus were the first Christian martyrs in East Asia.
The bloody persecution of the Church in Japan wiped out the Church in Japan and seemed to have obliterated the missionary efforts of St Francis Xavier, SJ and others. The mystery of Divine Providence is inscrutable! The blood of martyrs is the seed of Christianity, says Tertulian.
In today's Gospel from Mark 6: 14 - 29,we see bloody Herod chop off the head of a prophet: John the Baptist. Why?
Herodias believed that John the Baptist went too far in reproaching King Herod for marrying her. She loved her title of queen and bride of the king too much and became attached to the luxury and privileges that came with it. She conspired with her daughter Salome to have John the Baptist beheaded.
So it is a bloody day on this Memorial of St Paul Miki and his companion martyrs.
The Church honors the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph in the Month of February.
THE PRAYER OF PROTECTION:
"Visit, we beseech Thee, O Lord, this dwelling,
and drive far from it all snares of the enemy;
let Thy holy Angels dwell herein to preserve us in peace;
and let Thy blessing be always upon us.
O Virgin Mary, Mother of Orphans and Refuge of the Sinful, cover us with thy mantle.
St. Joseph, Patron of a Happy Death, guard our slumber.
Lord Jesus, be our light in the darkness.
"Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. For Thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth."
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
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