Homily for the Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions

Jesus confronted His critics for disregarding God's commandments while insisting on adherence to human rules. He acknowledged that the religious customs of His time did not always align with God's will, as revealed in the Scriptures and more completely by Jesus Himself.

The Church must always be vigilant to ensure that its traditions are in line with God's Word to us, especially as spoken by Jesus. From time to time, our Church must renew itself, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to purify its traditions so that they correspond more closely to the true spirit of the Gospel. We can view the Council of Vatican II as a significant effort to do exactly that.

In our personal lives, we can also fall into traditional patterns that do not align with the essence of God's message to us through the Scriptures. Our personal traditions, whether they be religious or broader in scope, always require reform in the light of the Gospel. We must continue to listen to the Word of the LORD anew and seek the assistance of the Holy Spirit in doing so.