Memorial of Saint Paul Miki, martyr &
his companions, martyrs
Biographical Information about St. Paul Miki and his companion martyrs
Readings for Tuesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 1:20—2:4a
This passage completes the Priestly creation account in Genesis. It leaves us today with the creation of all life on earth and concludes with the establishment of the Sabbath on the seventh day.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8 gives us a song of thanksgiving for the very event just described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, His creation and the life he gave us.
Gospel Mk 7:1-13
We begin the seventh chapter of Mark’s Gospel with an encounter with the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples are not following strict pharisaic laws regarding ritual purification and the Lord, who is their teacher, is taken to task for it.
Jesus responds indignantly pointing out that it is the Pharisees with their man made laws who are sinning against God. He points out that not only have they placed pharisaic law above Mosaic Law but they have violated the Law of Moses by doing so. He gives one example about children who, under Mosaic Law are to honor and support their parents instead satisfy their contribution to the Temple and count that as support even though it gives the parents no comfort.
Reflection:
This week I was called to do a vigil service for Dorothy H. Szyniszewski who died at 86 of cancer. As usual when I don’t know a person well, I first read the obituary notice and then asked to speak with one of Dorothy’s daughters before the service. The picture that was painted of this woman’s life was a text book image of a lived faith. By all accounts, she lead an exemplary life, full of service, first to her children and then to the community at large. She was known as a go to person at the retirement home where she spent the last years of her life and always independent of her children.
The reason I think of her now is that I did not know her. I have been at St. Thomas as parishioner and Deacon for over thirty years and I can’t recall having met her even though her children and one of the priests of our diocese who were present vouched for her lively and lived faith.
Many people believe that in order to be a good church member one must be known to be pious by the clergy and seen by others as a person living a holy life by their observance of the traditions of the Church. Yet here is a person who at 86 had a vigil on Super Bowl Sunday, during the game, and had over 30 people present. Here is a woman who had hundreds file through the home during her visitation period. Here is a woman, who did not want to be a burden to her children so she took a part time job and worked, while suffering the ravages of her cancer, until two weeks before she died, never complaining.
When we think about the Gospel today and how Jesus ripped into the Pharisees, he was talking, not just about his disciples, but about the Dorothy H. Szyniszewski’s of the world who live the spirit of God’s law in humility. St. Paul Miki and his companion martyrs whom we memorialize today would be glad to have had her in their company. Our prayer today is that we may do as well as Dorothy when our time comes.
Pax
his companions, martyrs
Biographical Information about St. Paul Miki and his companion martyrs
Readings for Tuesday of the 5th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Gn 1:20—2:4a
This passage completes the Priestly creation account in Genesis. It leaves us today with the creation of all life on earth and concludes with the establishment of the Sabbath on the seventh day.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 8:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth!
Psalm 8 gives us a song of thanksgiving for the very event just described in Genesis. The song marvels at God’s great work, His creation and the life he gave us.
Gospel Mk 7:1-13
We begin the seventh chapter of Mark’s Gospel with an encounter with the Pharisees. Jesus’ disciples are not following strict pharisaic laws regarding ritual purification and the Lord, who is their teacher, is taken to task for it.
Jesus responds indignantly pointing out that it is the Pharisees with their man made laws who are sinning against God. He points out that not only have they placed pharisaic law above Mosaic Law but they have violated the Law of Moses by doing so. He gives one example about children who, under Mosaic Law are to honor and support their parents instead satisfy their contribution to the Temple and count that as support even though it gives the parents no comfort.
Reflection:
This week I was called to do a vigil service for Dorothy H. Szyniszewski who died at 86 of cancer. As usual when I don’t know a person well, I first read the obituary notice and then asked to speak with one of Dorothy’s daughters before the service. The picture that was painted of this woman’s life was a text book image of a lived faith. By all accounts, she lead an exemplary life, full of service, first to her children and then to the community at large. She was known as a go to person at the retirement home where she spent the last years of her life and always independent of her children.
The reason I think of her now is that I did not know her. I have been at St. Thomas as parishioner and Deacon for over thirty years and I can’t recall having met her even though her children and one of the priests of our diocese who were present vouched for her lively and lived faith.
Many people believe that in order to be a good church member one must be known to be pious by the clergy and seen by others as a person living a holy life by their observance of the traditions of the Church. Yet here is a person who at 86 had a vigil on Super Bowl Sunday, during the game, and had over 30 people present. Here is a woman who had hundreds file through the home during her visitation period. Here is a woman, who did not want to be a burden to her children so she took a part time job and worked, while suffering the ravages of her cancer, until two weeks before she died, never complaining.
When we think about the Gospel today and how Jesus ripped into the Pharisees, he was talking, not just about his disciples, but about the Dorothy H. Szyniszewski’s of the world who live the spirit of God’s law in humility. St. Paul Miki and his companion martyrs whom we memorialize today would be glad to have had her in their company. Our prayer today is that we may do as well as Dorothy when our time comes.
Pax
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