Dominican Friars
Province of St. Albert the Great, USA

A Word of Hope

6 February • The Cost of Discipleship: Paul Miki, John the Baptist & Witness in Our Lives

A Word of Hope

A Word of Hope for Friday, February 6th by Father Greg Heille, O.P.

How do we find hope in stories of martyrdom? Today, as we commemorate St. Paul Miki and his Companions, 26 Japanese and Filipino Christians martyred in 1597 (yes, Fr. Greg says "597") for their unwavering faith, we also reflect on the Gospel's account of John the Baptist's beheading.

Father Greg delves into the familiar narrative of Herodias's vengeful plot against John. He connects John's ultimate sacrifice to his prophetic statement, "He must increase, I must decrease," illustrating the profound cost of standing firm in faith. Both Paul Miki and John the Baptist paid the ultimate price, steadfastly pointing the way to Jesus.

This reflection challenges us to consider our own "cost of discipleship." Jesus calls us to testify to our beliefs, even when it's difficult, to be long-suffering in the face of skepticism, and to bear the burden for God's people. In a world where some still pay with their lives, we are reminded of Jesus' early message: "The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel." We are called to repent, turn to God, believe the Gospel, and witness to it with our lives, even to the point of suffering or death.

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### ⏰ Timeline

  0:00:00 Welcome & Introduction from Fr. Greg Heille in St. Louis
  0:00:14 Finding Hope in Stories of Martyrdom
  0:00:21 The Feast of the Martyrs of Japan: Paul Miki & Companions (1597)
  00:00:40 Today's Gospel: The Beheading of John the Baptist (Mark 6)
  00:00:59 Herodias's Hatred and the Dance of Her Daughter
  0:01:13 The Demand for John the Baptist's Head
  0:01:23 John the Baptist's Prophetic Life: "He must increase, I must decrease"
  0:01:38 John as a Righteous Man Who Pays the Price & Points to Jesus
  0:01:53 Jesus Calls Us to Pay the Price of Discipleship
  0:02:08 Testifying to Faith, Long-Suffering, and Bearing Burdens
  0:02:27 The Ultimate Price: Martyrdom in the World Today
  0:02:37 Jesus' Call: "The Kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the gospel."
  0:02:50 Turning from Sin, Turning to God, Believing, and Witnessing
  0:02:59 We Are Confessors of Faith, Even to the Point of Suffering and Death

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### 🔖 Hashtags

#WordOfHope #CatholicReflection #DailyGospel #Martyrdom #PaulMiki #JohnTheBaptist #CostOfDiscipleship #WitnessToFaith #RepentAndBelieve #KingdomOfGod #Suffering #ChristianLife #FrGregHeille #DominicanOrder #AquinasInstitute #OrdinaryTime #SaintsLives #FaithJourney #ReligiousFreedom #CatholicHistory #Sermon #Homily #MarkGospel #JapanMartyrs #Theology

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