"Yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing" (Mt 10:29)
(This beautiful, once-off reflection comes from a Japanese who attended the
Beatification of Peter Kibe and 187 martyrs in Nagasaki )
NAGASAKI:
24th November 2008(austraLasia #2297) -- A small bird, a sparrow, lay motionless in
the cold rain just outside the dining room window of the retreat house
overlooking Nagasaki Bay. "What can this mean, on the morning of
Beatification day" I wondered? Only later I recalled the words of Scripture,
"Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the
ground without your Father knowing".
It was raining hard on the morning of the 24th, as forecast, though the
clouds were moving. The sentiments of those attending were mixed. A
religious sister said pensively, "perhaps we need to do some sacrifice",
while a Polish missionary said "whatever the Lord gives us is ok"! A girl
said she didn't bring a raincoat with a hood as recommended (no umbrellas
allowed). As it turned out there was rain and sun but not too much rain.
30,000 from around Japan and abroad packed into the 'Big N', the public
baseball stadium in Nagasaki , from 12 noon. The celebrant was Cardinal
Shirayanagi, and the Papal envoy who would proclaim the 188 martyrs
'Blessed' was Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, retired Prefect of the
Congregation for the Causes of the Saints. Surrounding the altar were the
bishops of Japan, cardinals and bishops from other countries (Vietnam - one
cardinal and 2 bishops), Korea (7 bishops), India, Taiwan....and some 600
concelebrating priests including the Augustinian Prior General whose order
is celebrating one of their own amongst the blesseds, Fr Thomas Kintsuba
Jihyoe.
It was touching for a Japanese to see so many from other countries coming to
celebrate and share the joy of the Beatification of our martyrs. Among those
gathered were Filipinos, Vietnamese, 1000 Korean pilgrims. Even some from
Hawaii . It was as though the song of one of the martyrs had come alive.
Michael the chemist, leader of the Confraternity of Misericordia, sang until
he burned to death at the stake on the hill of Nishizaka, the famous site of
martyrdom in Nagaskai. His song? "Praise the Lord all you nations, extol him
all you peoples". There were also representatives from the Lutheran and
Anglican Churches, Buddhist monks and Shinto priests invited for the
occasion.
When Pope John Paul visited Japan in 1981, he encouraged the Japanese Church
to commemorate the testimony of the martyrs which is so richly given to our
Church. Years of hard work, research by prominent scholars such as Fr Hubert
Cieslik SJ, Fr Yuki Ryogo (born Diego Pacheco) SJ, Fr Tadeusz Oblak SJ - and
Bishop Francis Mizobe SDB, the chairman of the committee for the cause.
The mass began with a procession led by a cross, then a group of young
people, each carrying a small vessel with the relics of the martyrs,
followed by Fr Renzo De Luca, curator of the 26 Martyrs Museum holding a
ciborium also containing the relic of a martyr. The relics were placed on
the altar. The procession of celebrants followed.
Following the proclamation of the beatification by Cardinal Martins, a large
beautiful picture behind the altar depicting the blessed martyrs was
unveiled and 188 doves flew into the sky. The liturgy was well prepared and
beautiful, if perhaps rather quiet for a grand occasion such as this,
reflecting the Japanese character.
Cardinal Shirayanagi said in his homily that the martyrs came from different
walks of life (noble and common, samurai, peasant, men, women, children,
youths, elderly, priests, a lay brother), all witnessing that nothing could
separate us from the love of Christ. They also point the way, he said, to a
world where human dignity and the value of of life will be respected and all
effort is made to overcome war, poverty and other evils. The cardinal said
God is calling us and the new Blesseds are calling us today: Do not be
afraid!
Cardinal Martins noted in his message that Christ is the reason to offer
one's life, not persecution, and that martyrdom is the supreme expression of
true freedom and love, quoting St Augustine . Both cardinals prayed for the
intercession of Mary, Queen of Martyrs, for our Japanese Church and its
mission. It is interesting to note that Cardinal Martins celebrated the
beatification of the parents of St Theresa of the Infant Jesus, patroness of
the missions, but a month ago, on World Mission Day. One feels a profound
sense of the communion of the Church.
Now the long-awaited Beatification is over. Is there life after November
24th? Yes! We have a grand mission ahead of us which starts today. Peter
Kibe and the 187 martyrs are calling us: Do not be afraid! Become witnesses
of God's love, be in this world but not of this world, believe in and
explain the meaning of life, join forces with people of good will to
overcome evil in our lives.
Thank you Lord for such a grace and for such an experience of love and
communion expressed through the Church