“Choosing Christ Brings Eternal Reward”

Today is the feast of the great Japanese martyrs Saint Paul Miki and his companions. They suffered terribly as  they took refuge in the cross on which they died for Christ. “These servants of the truth were raised with Christ above the heavens, while their enemies, like all who boast of their violent power, died unremembered.” (ref. Magnificat, 2-6-24) 

As I ponder the desperate moment when a martyr is at the mercy of the tyrant, it seems like the tyrant wins and the martyr loses. The tyrant seemingly has all the power and is the purveyor of life and death…” beg for your life and I may relent and let you live… deny Christ and I may even reward you….. I have the power of life and death…I’m god in this situation…bow down and I’ll give you a break….” .That’s what the reality seems like and in a temporary way there is some truth to it. As the sun sets, the martyr is dead and the tyrant is alive after a few glasses of wine, a big meal and slaps on the back from some of the other lackies. Yet, this is just for a moment. “All who boast of their violent power die unremembered.”

These purveyors of death were soon to be the victims of death. However they came to their end, death would be the tyrant for them…their power now gone. The great kings were no longer the king over life and death. All those  violent soldiers who whipped Christ and drove the nails in his limbs and mocked him, one day died as helpless men with no more power. 

Yet Paul Miki and other martyrs for Christ had their moment of agony but an eternity of bliss. May the Lord give us the strength to chose Christ despite the suffering that may be involved. May we take up our cross and follow after the Lord… and be worthy of the Lord. (ref. Mt. 10:38)