“Faithful to You with Their Whole Heart” by Melanie Rigney (@melanierigney)

“Faithful to You with Their Whole Heart” by Melanie Rigney

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

By Anonymous, Peruvian
(http://www.retabloceramico.net/2322.htm)
[Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

(Solomon) said: “LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your convent of mercy with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart.” (1 Kings 8:23)

How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God! (Psalm 84:2)

(Jesus said to the Pharisees and scribes :) “Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine human precepts. You disregard God’s commandment but cling to human tradition.” (Mark 7:6-8)

Piety

Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. (The Jesus Prayer)

Study

He was about thirty-five years old, a Jesuit novice after eleven years of study. And he was never going to become a priest now. Instead, he, two of his Japanese Jesuit confreres, seventeen laymen, and six Franciscan missionaries were about to be killed for their faith.

The twenty-six had been marched six hundred miles from Kyoto to Nagasaki over the course of a month. Their left ears had been cut off in an attempt to disgrace them. And now, they had been tied to crosses. An executioner with a lance stood by each of the men, ready to stab them to death when the word was given.

And what did Paul Miki do? He offered mercy:

“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.” 

And then, the twenty-six were executed.

It’s easy to be faithful when everything is humming right along in our lives when we have good health, good support, and good surroundings. But what about when someone else’s senseless or evil actions take all that away? After the example of Christ, Paul Miki, and so many other martyrs recognized and otherwise, may we offer mercy.

Action

Forgive the seemingly unforgivable. Repeat as needed.