24th Week in Ordinary Time:Friday 20th September 2019

Today we remember the Korean Martyrs, and on this occasion let us remember all the Asian martyrs, for the Church in several Asian Countries has seen many of its members suffer martyrdom for their fidelity to Christ and to the Catholic Faith which he endowed us with. Those who kill the martyrs do not discriminate between male and female, old and young. Among the Korean Martyrs, there are several groups of members of the same family; parents and children.

Though Jesus appears to have exercised some discrimination in choosing only men as apostles, the wider group of his disciples included women, as is recorded by Luke in the passage of his Gospel we read today. No children are mentioned, as is understandable given the wandering kind of life that Jesus and his disciples led.

In Matthews’ account of Jesus’ second miracle of multiplying the loaves and fishes [Mt 15:32-39], women and children are specifically mentioned as being participants [Mt 15:38]. Martyrdom certainly puts an end to exclusion and discrimination in the Church, as does saintliness in general.

Father in heaven, through the intercession of all our Asian Martyrs, grant the Church continued growth among our peoples for your greater glory and the service and salvation of all Your people.