6 February 2026 (Friday) / Saints Paul Miki and his Companions, Martyrs on Friday of week 4 in Ordinary Time / Saint Paul Miki, Priest, Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs Obligatory Memorial / Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs

6 February 2026 (Friday)

Saints Paul Miki and his Companions, Martyrs on Friday of week 4 in Ordinary Time.

Saint Paul Miki, Priest, Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs Obligatory Memorial.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Sirach 47: 2-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 18: 31, 47 and 50, 51
Alleluia: Luke 8: 15
Gospel: Mark 6: 14-29

First Reading : Ecclesiasticus 47:2‐13

As the fat is set apart from the communion sacrifice,
  so David was chosen out of all the sons of Israel.
He played with lions as though with kids,
  and with bears as though with lambs of the flock.
While still a boy, did he not slay the giant,
  and relieve the people of their shame,
by putting out a hand to sling a stone
  which brought down the arrogance of Goliath?
For he called on the Lord Most High,
  who gave strength to his right arm
to put a mighty warrior to death,
  and lift up the horn of his people.
Hence they gave him credit for ten thousand,
  and praised him while they blessed the Lord,
by offering him a crown of glory;
  for he massacred enemies on every side,
he annihilated his foes the Philistines,
  and crushed their horn to this very day.
In all his activities he gave thanks
  to the Holy One, the Most High, in words of glory;
he put all his heart into his songs
  out of love for his Maker.
He placed harps before the altar
  to make the singing sweeter with their music;
he gave the feasts their splendour,
  the festivals their solemn pomp,
causing the Lord’s holy name to be praised
  and the sanctuary to resound from dawn.
The Lord took away his sins,
  and exalted his horn for ever;
he gave him a royal covenant,
  and a glorious throne in Israel.

Responsive Psalm : Psalm 17(18):31,47,50‐51

Praised be the God who saves me.
The ways of God are perfect;
  the word of the Lord, purest gold.
He indeed is the shield
  of all who make him their refuge.
Praised be the God who saves me.
Long life to the Lord, my rock!
  Praised be the God who saves me,
  so I will praise you, Lord, among the nations:
  I will sing a psalm to your name.
Praised be the God who saves me.
He has given great victories to his king
  and shown his love for his anointed,
  for David and his sons for ever.
Praised be the God who saves me.

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Gospel : Mark 6:14‐29

King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’
  Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
  An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

For our reflection today:

The martyrdom of St John the Baptist reminds us too, Christians of this time, that with love for Christ, for his words and for the Truth, we cannot stoop to compromises. The Truth is Truth; there are no compromises. Christian life demands, so to speak, the “martyrdom” of daily fidelity to the Gospel, the courage, that is, to let Christ grow within us and let him be the One who guides our thought and our actions. However, this can happen in our life only if we have a solid relationship with God. Prayer is not time wasted, it does not take away time from our activities, even apostolic activities, but exactly the opposite is true: only if we are able to have a faithful, constant and trusting life of prayer will God himself give us the ability and strength to live happily and serenely, to surmount difficulties and to witness courageously to him. St John the Baptist, intercede for us, that we may be ever able to preserve the primacy of God in our life. (Benedict XVI, General Audience, 29 August 2012)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love 
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)

My vocation is Blessed and Saints.

"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God.

"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."

Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)