St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we all listened to the words of the Sacred Scriptures, we are all reminded that each and every one of us have been given and entrusted with many great and wonderful things by God Himself, all the talents, abilities, opportunities and the many other things which He has provided for us so that we may truly be fruitful and active in making good use of them for the benefit of all the people of God and all those whom we encounter in our paths and journeys as Christians, as the disciples and followers of the Lord. Each and every one of us should always do our best such that our every actions, words and deeds may inspire many more people to come to know the Lord, His love and truth.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to his protege and fellow missionary, St. Timothy, we heard of the Apostle reminding St. Timothy and all fellow Christians to always remember that they were all the servants and followers of Christ, the Lord and Saviour, God Himself Who has manifested His love and works through His Son, Whom He sent into our world in order to bring all of us, His beloved people into salvation and eternal life through Him. And because of this, each and every one of those who have professed their faith as Christians ought to continue to focus our lives on God and His teachings, to embody our faith in our everyday actions, in our every words and deeds, in everything that we say and do, at all times.

Then, from our Gospel passage today, taken from the Gospel according to St. Luke the Evangelist, we heard of the famous parable that the Lord Jesus taught to His disciples, which I am sure we are all well aware of, that is the parable of the sower. In this parable of the sower, we heard of what happened to the different seeds that fell in different places, and how among all those seeds, only those that fell on rich and fertile soil managed to grow well and bear fruits, while all the other seeds, those that fell by the roadside, those that fell on the rocks and those that grew amongst the brambles and weeds, all those failed to grow. The Lord Himself had explained His parable and its meaning clearly to the disciples, highlighting how God has given to each and every one of us the gifts and opportunities, talents and abilities much like those seeds that were mentioned in the parable.

However, they had to be nurtured and cultivated, meaning that we should do our best to give the best conditions possible in allowing this faith, all the gifts and things that God had provided to us. And how do we exactly do that, brothers and sisters in Christ? It is by us spending more quality time with the Lord, doing our best to walk ever more faithfully in the Lord’s Presence at all times, in even the most ordinary things that we do. We must not underestimate the power of prayer and faith in our lives, and we should always strive to lead a life that is attuned to God’s will, doing our part such that we may grow ever closer to God and continue to glorify Him by our exemplary living, at all times. We should be good inspirations and role models for others around us, and that is one way how our faith can lead to so many more others finding their way to the Lord, and hence, bearing rich fruits for the Lord.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Korean Martyrs, or the Holy Martyrs of Korea, which are composed of many local Korean Christians and converts, both among the clergy and the laity alike, as well as the many missionaries who had come from distant lands, serving the Lord and His people, and all of whom endured great challenges, trials and sufferings amidst their ministry and living of their Christian faith. Today we remember all of these most courageous, faithful and loving people of God, who have borne the pains and struggles of being God’s faithful and beloved children and disciples, suffering prison, pains and sufferings, humiliations and hardships, and many of them even died as martyrs, choosing to die in faith rather than to give up their faith in God or to abandon Him and His Church.

At that time, the Korean state and government were very suspicious and hostile against the Christians and the missionaries who came to Korea to evangelise and proclaim the Lord and His Good News. They viewed the Christian faith and the missionaries as threat to their way of life and the authority of the state, as opposed to the strict Confucian nature of the society and the worldview of the time prevailing in Korea. And therefore, the state persecuted the Christians, both the foreign missionaries and also the local converts, oppressing and attacking them, forcing them to choose between their faith and suffering, or to obey the commands and demands of the state and abandoning their newfound faith and trust in the Lord.

St. Andrew Kim Taegon was particularly renowned among the saints and martyrs commemorated today as he was the first Korean Catholic priest, and he had a rough early life because his family, who had converted to the Christian faith were persecuted and he had his family members martyred for being followers of Christ. At a young age of fifteen, St. Andrew Kim Taegon chose to be baptised and then went to Macau to study as a seminarian and eventually was ordained as a priest in Shanghai in China. He later on returned to Korea to preach the Christian faith and Good News, evangelising to many of the people in his homeland. Eventually, he was persecuted with many other Christians, both missionaries, clergy and laity alike during intense persecutions against them, but he and the other faithful martyrs remained firmly faithful to the very end.

There was also the story of the faith of St. Laurent Imbert, the first Vicar Apostolic of Korea, the missionary which the Pope appointed to be the representative of the Church in Korea, laying down the important groundwork for the growth of Christianity in that area. St. Laurent Imbert dedicated himself to minister to the faithful people of God, the flock entrusted to his care by the Lord, despite the intensifying persecutions against him and many other missionaries. When he and the other missionaries had to go into hiding during those persecutions, St. Laurent Imbert voluntarily surrendered himself to the authorities, and encouraged two other priests to do the same as he hoped that by doing so, he might spare many other Christians, his own flock, from suffering more for being followers of Christ. Before he was martyred, he was remembered for his great quote from the Gospel, ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep.’, showing the action that he and the Lord Himself had done in ensuring our salvation and liberation from sin and destruction.

Therefore, brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all be inspired by the faith and examples shown to us by the Holy Martyrs of Korea, those whose lives and dedication to God have been most exemplary and strong, and who have inspired us all to continue to live our lives with genuine and strong faith in the Lord as we should have always done. Each and every one of us as Christians have been called to commit ourselves thoroughly and wholeheartedly to the cause of the Lord, to be truly loving and generous with our compassion and mercy to one another, and to trust in the Lord’s providence and care, and in everything which He has reassured and promised us, the promise of everlasting life and true happiness, of glory everlasting with Him.

May the Lord our God continue to guide us all and strengthen us in faith as He has done to all those faithful servants, those Holy Martyrs in Korea who had dedicated their lives to Him and those who have done their best to remain faithful to Him despite the persecutions against them. May all of us continue to walk ever more faithfully and courageously in God’s Holy Presence and lead others to come ever closer to Him as well by our good examples and inspirations in life. Let us all be like the seeds that fell on the rich soil and bear wonderful fruits of our faith, that we may be found truly worthy by God. Amen.

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 8 : 4-15

At that time, as a great crowd gathered, and people came to Jesus from every town, He began teaching them with a story : “The sower went out to sow the seed. And as he sowed, some of the seed fell along the way, was trodden on, and the birds of the sky ate it up.”

“Some seed fell on rocky ground; and no sooner had it come up than it withered, because it had no water. Some seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with the seed and choked it. But some seed fell on good soil and grew, producing fruit, a hundred times as much!” And Jesus cried out, “Listen then, if you have ears to hear!”

The disciples asked Him, “What does this story mean?” And Jesus answered, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to others it is given in the form of stories, or parables, so that, seeing, they may not perceive; and hearing, they may not understand.”

“Now, this is the point of the parable : The seed is the word of God. Those along the wayside are people who hear it; but immediately, the devil comes and takes the word from their minds, for he does not want them to believe and be saved. Those on the rocky ground are people who receive the word with joy; but they have no root; they believe for a while, and give way in time of trial.”

“Among the thorns are people who hear the word, but, as they go their way, they are choked by worries, riches, and the pleasures of life; they bring no fruit to maturity. The good soil, instead, are people who receive the word, and keep it, in a gentle and generous mind, and, persevering patiently, they bear fruit.”

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 99 : 2, 3, 4, 5

Serve YHVH with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.

Know that YHVH is God; He created us, and we are His people, the sheep of His fold.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His Name.

For YHVH is good; His love lasts forever; and His faithfulness, through all generations.

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Saturday, 20 September 2025 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

1 Timothy 6 : 13-16

Now, in the presence of God, Who gives life to all things, and of Jesus Christ, Who expressed before Pontius Pilate the authentic expression of faith : preserve the revealed message to all. Keep yourself pure and blameless, until the glorious coming of Christ Jesus, our Lord, Who God will bring about at the proper time : He, the Magnificent Sovereign, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

To Him, alone, immortal, Who lives in unapproachable light, and Whom no one has ever seen or can see, to Him, be honour and power, forever and ever. Amen!

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Wednesday, 20 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today we are all reminded that the path which the Lord has shown us, and that we are all called to follow His path, to do what He has told us to do and to be ever faithful and committed to His cause so that we may always strive to do our best in obeying His Law and commandments, and in doing everything so that we may always be inspirational and exemplary to one another in our Christian commitments and devotions. We must always put the Lord at the centre and as the focus of our whole lives and existence, or else we may end up being easily swayed and tempted into the path of worldliness and sin, or to despair in the midst of sufferings and persecutions in life. We must always trust in the Lord and have firm hope in Him, at all times.

In our first reading today, taken from the Epistle of St. Paul to St. Timothy, we heard about the words of the Apostle reminding St. Timothy and all the faithful of the Lord of how they are all expected to live their lives in the path and manner that their Lord has shown them, in everything that He has taught and revealed to them, so that they might indeed be the most worthy and faithful witnesses and bearers of His truth and love in this world. As we have also heard in our Gospel passage today, the Lord showed us just how the world can never be satisfied by the ways and the truth of the Lord, always ever preferring their own prejudices and biases, their wants and their judgments on what they deemed to be good and right. But the path of the Lord and His Wisdom is never changing, and has always been constant amidst the ever-changing demands and standards of the world.

That is why today all of us are reminded and called to be true and faithful disciples of the Lord in all things and at all opportunities, resisting the many temptations and pressures from all around us, not allowing them to keep us away from the path of God and His righteousness, from all the virtues and goodness that He has taught and led us towards. We must always be committed to the Lord and seek to proclaim His truth and Good News, living our lives faithfully as God’s followers regardless of how others may perceive us, and how we may be treated or considered by those who are around us. We must always be full of genuine faith in God, and embody our faith and beliefs in everything that we say and do, so that just like how the saints and martyrs, our holy predecessors, had inspired many of us, we too may inspire many others around us.

Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Holy Korean Martyrs, marking the memory of those who have struggled and perished amidst the series of brutal and oppressive persecutions against Christians in Korea, both the missionaries and the local populations, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Back then, Korea was a land where the Church and the Christian faith had not taken root yet, and some of the Christian missionaries who were sent to Asia went to Korea to begin planting the seeds of the faith there. These included the pioneer of the Church in Korea, St. Laurent Imbert, who helped other Christian converts in Korea, that were clandestinely established there by some missionaries from China, to begin the foundation of the Church in Korea. There had been persecutions against those Christian population and the missionaries previously, as the government then was very hostile to the faith.

This was when St. Laurent Imbert and other French missionaries from the Society of the Paris Foreign Missions came in secretly to Korea, ministering to the faithful in Korea and began to spread the Good News to more and more people, under the constant threat of government persecutions and oppressions. St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, the first Korean to be ordained as a priest in Macau also succeeded to enter Korea and he also began to minister to the Christian faithful, without fearing the constant threats of persecutions, which in time would result in the deaths of over ten thousand martyrs throughout the eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. Many of those martyrs chose to suffer and die rather than to give up their faith in God, and many of the missionaries chose to die with their flock, suffering grievously the pain and the hardships, shedding their blood for the Church and the faithful.

St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon was arrested and persecuted, but courageously proclaimed his faith in the letter that he wrote just before his martyrdom, and he also proclaimed bravely and courageously before his torturers and executioners just before he was to be beheaded, confessing his undying faith and commitment to God, proclaiming His salvation and Good News to everyone who wished to follow Him while also saying that God’s wrath and judgment will come upon those who refuse to know and believe in Him. Earlier on, St. Laurent Imbert, the first Vicar Apostolic of Korea, also suffered martyrdom after he surrendered himself upon hearing that the authorities would offer to spare the lives of the Christians under his care if he and two other foreign missionaries were to surrender themselves.

St. Laurent Imbert therefore encouraged the two other foreign missionaries to surrender themselves, with the words that he quoted from the Lord Himself, ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep’, and therefore, as the shepherd appointed to care for the flock of the Lord’s faithful, he chose to lay down his life for the good of the faithful people of God. Thus, St. Laurent Imbert and the two missionaries surrendered themselves, and were martyred just like many other Christians, and while the authorities clearly did not honour their words of sparing the people if St. Laurent Imbert and other missionaries surrendered themselves, but the courage and faith of St. Laurent Imbert and many other martyrs had invigorated, encouraged and strengthened countless faithful Christians to remain firm in their faith amidst the heavy persecutions.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, are we also able to emulate and follow the good examples of the holy Martyrs of Korea, in all that they had done in enduring all the sufferings and hardships, persecutions and challenges, so that we may also be strong in our faith, and be inspiration for others around us in how we ought to live our lives. May God be with us all and may He bless our every efforts and endeavours, in our lives so that we may do our best to glorify Him by our every actions, words and deeds. Amen.

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Wednesday, 20 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 7 : 31-35

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “What comparison can I use for the people? What are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace, about whom their companions complain, ‘We piped you a tune and you would not dance; we sang funeral songs and you would not cry.'”

“Remember John : he did not ear bread or drink wine, and you said, ‘He has an evil spirit.’ Next, came the Son of Man, eating and drinking; and you say, ‘Look, a glutton for food and wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But the children of Wisdom always recognise her work.”

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Wednesday, 20 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Psalm 110 : 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Alleluia! I thank YHVH with all my heart in the council of the just, in the assembly. The works of YHVH are great and pondered by all who delight in them.

Glorious and majestic are His deeds, His righteousness endures forever. He lets us remember His wondrous deeds; YHVH is merciful and kind.

Always mindful of His Covenant, He provides food for those who fear Him. He shows His people the power of His arm by giving them the lands of other nations.

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Wednesday, 20 September 2023 : 24th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang, Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, and Companions, Martyrs (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

1 Timothy 3 : 14-16

I give you these instructions, although I hope I will see you soon. If I delay, you will know how you ought to conduct yourself in the household of God, that is, the Church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth. How great, indeed, is the mystery of divine blessing!

He was shown in the flesh and sanctified by the Spirit; presented to the Angels and proclaimed to all nations. The world believed in Him : He was taken up in glory!

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Monday, 20 September 2021 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang and Companions, Martyrs (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we listened to the words of the Scripture, we are called to reflect on the vocation that each one of us have received from God, to be ever faithful and committed to Him as His true and genuine disciples, living virtuously and doing what we should to be role models in faith so that by our actions and deeds, even in the smallest things, we may proclaim the truth and love of God to all, so that all who see us and witness our efforts may come to believe in the Lord as well.

One of these faithful that we should emulate was that of King Cyrus of Persia, the great and legendary first ruler of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, who although was not counted directly amongst God’s followers and people at that time, but was widely and even universally accepted by the descendants of Israel as being one of the righteous among the nations for his actions. He conquered the Babylonians who have kept many of the people of Judah and Israel in captivity for many decades, in exile from their homeland. Then King Cyrus made a proclamation that he is still being remembered for to this day.

He proclaimed the Emancipation or the freedom of the people of Israel from their exile in Babylon, allowing them all to return back to their homeland after such a long period in exile. He also allowed them to bring back their properties and authorised even the rebuilding the Temple of Jerusalem that had been destroyed by king Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. In doing so, he had reversed the many sorrows and setbacks of the Israelites, and brought God’s promised liberation and succour for His people to them.

King Cyrus of Persia might not have belonged to the nation of the Israelites, but in his attitudes, behaviour and also in his governance of his country, as attested by numerous other historical records, he was a great and exemplary leader and ruler, known as being caring and compassionate, merciful and wise, and as the lawgiver, who helped to establish the strong foundation of the rule of the Achaemenids which would last for over two hundred years from the reign of Cyrus. He showed all of us what it means for one to be a righteous and virtuous man, a man of God in actions, words and deeds.

In our Gospel passage today, we heard of the parable which the Lord Jesus spoke of to His disciples, regarding the lamp placed on a lampstand, and how no one would hide the light that ought to be put on the lampstand, but instead, that light should have been shown in its full brightness for all to see its light. God has given us this parable as a strong reminder that to each and every one of us, He has given the many talents, gifts, abilities and opportunities. We have to keep in mind that we should not underestimate the impact we may have on those who are around us, even in the smallest and seemingly most insignificant things.

We have to lead a life that is exemplary, virtuous and just, and we have to be good role models for one another that in our every actions and dealings, we may always be inspiration for our fellow brothers and sisters, to all those whom we encounter in our journey of life. And today, we also have the example of the faithful saints whose life and dedication to the Lord should become a great source of inspiration for us to follow in how we live our lives in our world today. They are the Holy Martyr Saints of Korea, those who have shed their blood in the persecution of the Faith in Korea across many decades.

We have these virtuous saints who gave their lives for the sake of the Lord and for their faith, as well as for their fellow brothers and sisters. At that time, Christians were heavily persecuted by the government of the Joseon-era Korea, as the foreign missionaries, the Christian faith and the local converts were seen as treasonous and undesirable elements of the society which needed to be rooted out, and which led to a bitter campaign of intense persecution of Christians much like what happened during the first centuries of the Church.

There were many courageous missionaries, both foreign and local Koreans alike who dedicated themselves to the Lord and preached the truth of God without fear despite the very difficult situation of that time. St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon was the first Korean Catholic priest who was baptised as a Christian at the young age of fifteen, whose parents were also converts, and his own father killed as a martyr of the faith. He was ordained a priest after a period of formation in Macau before returning to Korea during the height of the persecutions. He was arrested, tortured and eventually beheaded for refusing to abandon his faith in the Lord.

Meanwhile, St. Laurent Imbert was the first bishop of Korea as a foreign missionary priest, as the first Vicar Apostolic of Korea, newly established then by the Holy See. St. Laurent Imbert was remembered for his courageous leadership of the faithful during those most difficult and turbulent periods, and was particularly honoured for his decision to surrender himself and in persuading other priests to surrender themselves when the government threatened to persecute the faithful if they did not surrender themselves.

St. Laurent Imbert hoped that by surrendering himself and others, they might spare many other Christians from great sufferings, that in the same words that the Lord Jesus had spoken, and repeated by this saint, that ‘The Good Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep’ and thus, following the good examples of the Lord, the Good Shepherd, St. Laurent Imbert as the shepherd of the Lord’s flock in Korea chose to give his life in exchange for that of his flock.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, today as we recall the virtuous examples by these faithful brothers and sisters of ours, who gave their life to the Lord and dedicated themselves so selflessly and tirelessly for the sake of the Lord and His people, let us all challenge ourselves to do the same as well, even in the smallest things we do so that we may truly glorify the Lord by our deeds and by all that we say and do. Let us all inspire one another to remain faithful to God and to be exemplary in our action and faith. May God be with us always, and may He strengthen each and every one of us to be courageous with our Christian living, now and always, forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 20 September 2021 : 25th Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Andrew Kim Tae-gon, Priest and Martyr, St. Laurent Imbert, Bishop and Martyr, St. Jacques Chastan, Priest and Martyr, St. Paul Chong Ha-sang and Companions, Martyrs (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Red

Luke 8 : 16-18

At that time, Jesus said to His disciples, “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a bowl or puts it under the bed; rather, he puts it on a lamp stand, so that people coming in may see the light.”

“In the same way, there is nothing hidden that shall not be uncovered; nothing kept secret, that shall not be known clearly. Now, pay attention and listen well, for whoever produces, will be given more; but from those who do not produce, even what they seem to have will be taken away from them.”