A couple of days ago when you participated in the Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, your Priest probably spoke about the Communion of Saints - I know mine did. He talked about how there are no "cookie cutter" Saints and how each Saint images the glory of God through his/her individual state in life and his/her own personality. Our Blessed for today illustrates the uniqueness that can be found among the Saints.
Takayama Hikogoro was born in Japan about 1552. In 1564, his father converted to the Catholic faith after meeting Portuguese missionaries. Hikogoro was baptized at that time at the age of 12 and was given the name Justo (Justus). As a young man, he became a samurai warrior. In 1571, he fought an important and successful battle as part of his coming-of-age ritual. The ritual culminated in a duel to the death with a compatriot, who Justo killed. While recovering from serious wounds he sustained in the battle, he came to realize how little he had valued the faith he had received.
Justo married and fathered four children. He and his Father became daymio (feudal lords) of the Takatsuki region and implemented Christian policies in the region that they governed. Many of their subjects converted to Christianity under their rule. However, in 1587 Hideyoshi (the great unifier of Japan) became hostile to the faith and ordered that all missionaries be evicted from the country and all Christian daymios renounce their faith. While many daymio obeyed the order, Justo declared that he would rather give up his land and possessions than his faith. He was able to remain in Japan for several decades under the protection of a warrior friend, but in 1614 the Japanese ruler at that time forbade the Christian faith and Justo was evicted from the country.
On November 8, 1614, he and 300 other Japanese Christians set sail from Nagasaki to Manila, where they were warmly welcomed by the Spanish Jesuits and the local Filipinos. The colonial Spanish government of the Philippines offered to overthrow the Japanese government and install Justo in a position of power and influence. Justo not only refused the offer, but he totally opposed the plan.
Blessed Justo died in the Philippines just a couple of months later. He is the only Japanese daymio to be buried there. His Feast Day is February 3.
Blessed Justo, pray for us.
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