Today the Church celebrates the feast of the Korean Martyrs – Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang and their companions.  Between 1839 and 1867, one hundred and three men and women gave their lives in witness for their faith in Christ in Korea. 

The Gospel reading for today is taken from Luke 8:19-21,

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd.  He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.”  He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

In some ways our Lord’s response is tongue-in-cheek in that the one who truly accepted the word of God and said “yes” with her whole being was Mary herself.  This passage rather than diminishing Mary in fact honors her and calls us all to the awareness of how we also are called to be brothers and sisters to the Lord. 
 
We, likewise, are to receive God’s word, allow God’s word into our very lives and give birth to God’s word by the lives we live and the actions we do. 
 
Andrew, Paul and all their companions were brothers and sisters to our Lord in this true sense of the term and our world and Church are indeed better for their witness!
 
Sts. Andrew Kim Taegon,  Paul Chong Hasan and all your companions, pray for us!