Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of Mark (6: 53-56) which notes that as soon as Jesus and his disciples arrived by boat at Gennesaret Jesus was recognised, people begged him to let the sick touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed. Afterwards Fr Paul shares a little bit about martyrs, St Paul Miki and his companions, whose memorial we celebrate today.Fr Paul says Paul Miki was born in Japan between 1564 and 1566. He joined the Society of Jesus, the Jesuits, and preached the gospel to the Japanese people with great success. When a persecution of the Catholics arose, he was arrested together with twenty-five others. Mocked and tortured, they were eventually taken to Nagasaki on 5 February 1597, bound to crosses and speared.Today, Fr Paul invites us to pray ‘St Paul Miki and companions…pray for us!’