Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions
February 6, 2023
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Genesis 1:1-19
Now the Lectionary begins several weeks of readings from the Book of Genesis. Today we hear the beginning: the beginning of the creation narrative, the beginning of Genesis and of the Bible itself.
God creates effortlessly. He creates with a plan, in a certain order. Today’s reading invites us to look around us, to appreciate God’s handiwork, to be grateful.
We may not understand it all or see how all creation fits together, but we do know that it’s God’s work. It involves victory over chaos and darkness. It involves the separation of night from day. It demonstrates that God has control of the universe. Above all the creation narrative teaches us that God’s creation is good. That’s not a bad message for a Monday.
Funny how you mention the daily reading for today being the first part of the book of Genesis. I was just on Quora talking about the very same subject to an atheist. It will be interesting to read what he replies.
As far as St. Paul Miki, it makes me think back to my Japanese ancestor who married a Dutch sailor and fled the Japan of that time and then eventually she or her children ended up in New Amsterdam/(New York). I only know this due to DNA. I still don’t know my Japanese ancestor’s family name, though. I visited Nagasaki way back in 1982. I saw all of the historic Roman Catholic sites, including the martyrs’ place. That part of Japan is very different from Tokyo, where I grew up.