Sept. 20, 2013 Friday: St. Andrew Kim and Korean Martyrs
O Jesus! You are my true friend,
my only friend.
You take a part in all my misfortunes;
you take them on yourself;
you know how to change them into blessings.
You listen to me with the greatest kindness
when I relate my troubles to you,
and you always have balm
to pour on my wounds.
I find you at all times;
I find you everywhere;
you never go away;
if I have to change my dwelling,
I find you wherever I go.
You are never weary of listening to me;
you are never tired of doing me good.
I am certain of being beloved by you
if I love you;
my goods are nothing to you
and by bestowing yours on me,
you never grow poor.
However miserable I may be,
no one more noble or learned or even holier
can come between you and me,
and deprive me of your friendship;
and death which tears us away
from all other friends,
will unite me for ever to you.
— Bl. Claude de la Colombière
An Account of Korean Martyrs
“May 24, 1839, arrived. The events of that day are described by Cho Shin-ch'ol Charles as follows ‘On the appointed day ox carts, with crosses taller than the average person erected on them, were brought to the jail. When all was ready guards brought the condemned prisoners out and tied them to the crosses by the arms and hair. A foot rest was put under their feet and the signal given to depart.
When they arrived at the steep hill on which the Small West Gate is situated the guards suddenly pulled away the foot rests and the drivers urged the oxen to run headlong down. The rad is rough, with many stones. The carts lurched, causing extreme agony to the prisoners who were hung on the crosses by their arms and hair. The execution ground is a the foot of the hill. The guards took the prisoners from the crosses and tore off their clothes. The executioners tied their hair to the wooden beam and proceeded to cut off their heads."
The nine martyrs received their crown at three o'clock in the afternoon, the same time as Jesus breathed his last on the cross several tens of centuries. In accordance with the law the bodies were left at the execution site for three days.’”
my only friend.
You take a part in all my misfortunes;
you take them on yourself;
you know how to change them into blessings.
You listen to me with the greatest kindness
when I relate my troubles to you,
and you always have balm
to pour on my wounds.
I find you at all times;
I find you everywhere;
you never go away;
if I have to change my dwelling,
I find you wherever I go.
You are never weary of listening to me;
you are never tired of doing me good.
I am certain of being beloved by you
if I love you;
my goods are nothing to you
and by bestowing yours on me,
you never grow poor.
However miserable I may be,
no one more noble or learned or even holier
can come between you and me,
and deprive me of your friendship;
and death which tears us away
from all other friends,
will unite me for ever to you.
— Bl. Claude de la Colombière
An Account of Korean Martyrs
“May 24, 1839, arrived. The events of that day are described by Cho Shin-ch'ol Charles as follows ‘On the appointed day ox carts, with crosses taller than the average person erected on them, were brought to the jail. When all was ready guards brought the condemned prisoners out and tied them to the crosses by the arms and hair. A foot rest was put under their feet and the signal given to depart.
When they arrived at the steep hill on which the Small West Gate is situated the guards suddenly pulled away the foot rests and the drivers urged the oxen to run headlong down. The rad is rough, with many stones. The carts lurched, causing extreme agony to the prisoners who were hung on the crosses by their arms and hair. The execution ground is a the foot of the hill. The guards took the prisoners from the crosses and tore off their clothes. The executioners tied their hair to the wooden beam and proceeded to cut off their heads."
The nine martyrs received their crown at three o'clock in the afternoon, the same time as Jesus breathed his last on the cross several tens of centuries. In accordance with the law the bodies were left at the execution site for three days.’”
