MORE DEADLY THAN ATOMIC BOMB

Memorial of St. Pedro Bautista, Paul Miki and Companion, Martyrs
Mt 28:16-20

World history remembers Nagasaki as the second city of Japan where Americans dropped the second atomic bomb during the Second World War. Too sad for this Japanese city, its name is almost synonymous with death of catastrophic proportion. Three and a half centuries prior to the Nagasaki bombing, twenty-six Christian martyrs were crucified on a hill, known today as the “Holy Mountain”, overlooking the city. Among those crucified were six Franciscan friars, three Japanese Jesuits, and seventeen native lay members of the Third Order of St. Francis. They were a heterogeneous group: aside from the priests and religious, there were catechists, doctors, simple artisans, servants, old men and innocent children. Love for Jesus and the Church bound them together until death.

Among these martyrs, we make special mention today of St. Pedro Bautista because he worked in the evangelization of the Philippines. After preaching the Gospel in the Philippines, Fray Pedro, together with several other Franciscan missionaries, was sent to Japan in 1503 where he became the superior of his order there. Enjoying the kindness of the Japanese emperor at first, Fray Pedro Bautista and companions accomplished much for spread of the Faith in Japan, building convents, schools, and hospitals. Their missionary labors produced many conversions among the natives.

St. Paul Miki, a Japanese Jesuit brother is likewise given special mention today. In countries other than the Philippines, it is Bro. Paul Miki’s name only that appears in the liturgical title of the martyrs’ feastday. He is the best known among the twenty-six martyrs of Japan. Born in 1562 at Tsunokuni, Japan, Paul was the son of a military leader, Miki Handayu. Having felt the vocation to the religious life, Paul left the comforts of an affluent life to join the Society of Jesus. He became a Jesuit brother in 1580 and, despite the hostility of the political leaders against Christians, he persevered in the work of evangelizing his fellow Japanese. His famous words to his people came as he hung on the cross: “The sentence of judgment says these men came to Japan from the Philippines, but I did not come from any other country. I am a true Japanese. The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ. I certainly did teach the doctrine of Christ. I thank God it is for this reason I die. I believe that I am telling only the truth before I die. I know you believe me and I want to say to you all once again: Ask Christ to help you to become happy. I obey Christ. 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.”

There is nothing popularly known about the other twenty-four of the twenty-six martyrs. However, a very moving report is given about two innocent children who suffered martyrdom with them. When Louis, an 11-year old boy, arrived at the hill of crucifixion, he asked which cross was his. When told which cross was his, the young boy ran towards it with joy that touched the crowd. As he died on his cross, Louis’ face shone with heavenly radiance. Another young boy among the martyrs was named “Anthony”. His parents pleaded with him to spare his life by apostatizing. They wanted their 13-year old Anthony to wait until he was older to confess his faith in Jesus. But our young martyr told his parents, “Do not expose our holy faith to contempt and the mockery of the pagans.” At one point, the magistrate also offered Anthony riches if he would deny the Faith. To this proposal, he answered, “I scorn your promises and life itself. The cross is what I desire for love of Jesus who chose to die on a cross to save us.” Then promising to pray for them, Anthony said goodbye to his parents and went to his crucifixion. As he hung upon the cross, he was heard singing Laudate, pueri, Dominum! (“Children, praise the Lord!”). He was pierced through the heart when he reached the doxology (Gloria Patri….) of the Psalm.

Pedro Bautista, Paul Miki, and companion martyrs were all crucified at Nagasaki on February 5, 1597. They were beatified on September 14, 1627 by Pope Urban VIII and canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862. We celebrate their blessed memory today.

The heroic death of the Martyrs of Nagasaki cannot but strengthen the Faith of any believer in Christ and the love of every member of the Church. Long before the Americans dropped the second atomic bomb there, the blood of Christian martyrs had already drenched the city. Thus, when missionaries returned to Japan in the 1860s, they eventually found that natives were already living around Nagasaki, secretly living the Christian Faith. As the Lord promised in the Gospel today, He had always been with them. And though Christians still remain a minority in Japan until today, Jesus will always be with them until the end of time. That promise can be more deadly than any atomic bomb, for by killing those who believed in that promise of Christ those responsible for the death of the martyrs simply multiplied the number of believers.