Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Paul Miki, P. & Companions, Mm., (06th February, 2018)
on the Gospel and the Memorial
(Tuesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
(II))
1Kgs 8:22-23.27-30;
Ps 83:3-5.10-11. (R. v.2);
Mk 7:1-13.
Paul Miki was born about 1565 in Japan. He entered the
Society of Jesus and was a successful preacher of the Gospel. With twenty-five
companions, he was tortured and crucified at Nagasaki on 5th
February 1597[1].
Topic: Our tradition.
Christians are under attack in one way or another in many
parts of the world. Often these attacks are carried out under the pretext of
defending the tradition.
Jesus and His disciples were attacked in today’s gospel by the
Pharisees and the scribes for the same reason. Their reason was that some of
the disciples ate without first washing their hands according to the tradition
of the elders.
They abandoned God’s commandment for human tradition. Jesus summarized
this with a quotation from the prophet Isaiah, “This people honours me with
their lips, but their hearts are far from me; in vain do they worship me,
teaching human precepts as doctrines” (Mk
7:6-7; cf. Is 29:13).
Tradition is very good and also necessary. It is “a belief, a
custom, or way of doing something that has existed for a long time”[2].
However, tradition is not something static. Borrowing the words of Archbishop
Albert Kenechukwu Obiefuna of the blessed memory, tradition grows, learns new
things, goes to school, and so on. Recall how we communicated with others that were
not living in the same vicinity with us, how we travelled, how twins were
treated, and so on. Today, all these have changed in most parts of the world
for good and their changes have become parts of tradition.
The problem we have today is not that of tradition but that every
form of idolatry and evils take place in the name of tradition. People have rejected
good aspects of the tradition of our elders like honesty, brotherly love, and
so on to perpetrate evils all in the name of tradition. And this is what the
church as the body of Christ condemns. We must live as God’s children just like
Saint Paul Miki and his companions did.
Bible Reading: 1Cor 5:11–6:1.
Thought for today: We belong to Christ.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, assist us to live
as your children – Amen.
Saint Paul Miki & his Companions –
Pray for us.
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with others if you consider it worthy.
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