Daily Reflections ...

Today the Catholic Church honours the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki, which includes Saint Paul Miki. The 26 were a group of both Japanese Catholics and foreign missionaries who were killed because of their faith in 1597, in Japan.

During this time, there was a tenuous relationship and a lot of distrust between the Catholic Church and Japanese authorities, which came to a peak when a Spanish ship was seized off the Japanese coast, carrying weapons and artillery. Triggered by this event, the Japanese authorities developed a deeper distrust in the Catholic missionaries, and 26 innocent Catholics, including Saint Paul Miki were sentenced to death.

In light of today’s feast day, let us cling to the edge of Jesus’ coat for the sake of healing in our world.  Let’s pray for all those who are oppressed and persecuted, whether they experience this persecution for their faith, political views, or life choices. We also hold in prayer the people who flee for their lives as refugees.

Let’s pray for the healing of relationships and the building of bridges across cultural and social divides due to differing views and deep seated historical conflicts. Jesus – the same Jesus of miraculous healing in scripture – we trust in you.

 by Melinda Zakikhani