St. Paul Chong Hasang (Feast Day September 20) 

1795 – September 22, 1839 

St. Paul Chong Hasang was born in Korea, in 1795. He came from a family of noble scholars that were dedicated to the Catholic faith and to its growth in Korea. His father was a Catholic intellectual who had written the first Catholic catechism in the Korean language. His father was martyred in 1801. His family was thereafter persecuted and stripped of all property. Despite this hardship and tragedy, the family never denied the faith. 

Throughout his life, he continued to seek missionary support for the Church in Korea. When Paul was twenty-one, he went to China, where he asked the Bishop of Peking to send missionaries to Korea. He escorted Bishop Laurent Imbert on his mission and served him faithfully during his ministry. Bishop Imbert was impressed by Paul's devotion to the faith and decided to prepare him for the priesthood. Before this could happen, however, a new persecution of Christians broke out in Korea. Bishop Imbert was forced to flee; Paul and his mother and sister were arrested. 

While awaiting execution in prison, Paul wrote "A Letter to the Minister," defending the Catholic faith to the Korean government. This work impressed everyone, even the enemies of the Church. However, the government was not moved to alter its stance. After much suffering and torture, Paul and his family were beheaded outside Seoul on September 22, 1839. Despite severe hardship and persecution, he kept his faith and served as a sterling example of piety for others, heeding the words of Jesus in today’s Gospel to remain in his love and bear fruit that remains. 

·    In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “As the Father loves me, so I also love you.” Jesus does love you! Do you believe that? Why or why not?

·    Jesus encourages us keep his commandments. Is it hard or easy to keep God’s commandments? Explain your answer.

·       Share a time when the love of Jesus has been shared through your mother or a mother-figure in your life.

·       St. Paul Chong Hasang’s family taught him the faith, but he also lived it out in his own way. What are ways your family has helped you grow in faith? What are ways you have grown on your own?

Chalk Art

Take some time today to decorate the sidewalk or driveway with messages of faith and encouragement to help your neighbors see the joy you have in Jesus. You may also want to give them an activity to do as they walk by your house such as a hopscotch game, a maze, or another activity.

Korean Noodle Bowl

In honor of our saint, enjoy this Korean dish. You can use whatever vegetables you have that are fresh and in-season. Use as little or as much of each ingredient as your family enjoys!

1/3 package of somen noodles (about 2 ounces per serving)

3 whole scallions

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

4 Tbsp. sesame seed oil, divided

1-2 cups julienned carrots

1-2 cups broccoli florets

1-2 packages of medium shrimp, peeled and uncooked

1/4 cup soy sauce

2-3 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar

1-2 Tbsp. lime juice

1-2 Tbsp. grated ginger or 1 tsp ground ginger

1 Tbsp. dried cilantro

1-2 tsp. Korean red pepper paste or Sriracha sauce

3 tsp. sesame seeds

Optional: 1 fried or poached egg per serving

Prepare somen noodles according to package instructions and drain when done, rinsing with cold water. Slice scallions, keeping white ends separate from the green shoots. In a wok or large pan, preheat 2 Tbsp. of sesame oil over medium-low heat. Add white ends of scallions and garlic to the oil and cook until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add carrots and broccoli and continue to cook until almost tender, 3-5 minutes. When the vegetables are not quite fully cooked, add shrimp and cook until they start to look opaque. While the shrimp cooks, begin mixing the sauce. Combine remaining 2 Tbsp sesame oil, soy sauce, honey, lime juice, ginger, cilantro and red pepper paste in a bowl and whisk together until well combined. Pour sauce over shrimp just as it begins to turn pink and mix well. Toss in noodles and mix them into the sauce. Top with chopped green scallion shoots and sesame seeds. Optional: add a fried or poached egg on top of each served bowl. Enjoy!

Prayer for Friends

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls us friends. Offer this prayer for the friends in your life.

Lord, please help us to know your friendship in and through the people in our lives. Thank you for blessing us with friends who love us, share our sorrows, laugh with us, encourage us, stand by us in times of need. Bless our friends with health, wholeness, life, and love. We pray especially for (have each person who would like name a situation, particular friend, or relationship for which they would like to pray).

Amen.

After the 1st and 2nd readings, we say “Thanks be to God.” After the Gospel, the priest says, “The Gospel of the Lord.” How do we respond?

In today's Gospel, Jesus commands us to love one another. Try to be the MOST loving person in your family this week. Invite your family to vote on who was the most loving at the end of the week.

May is National Foster Care Awareness Month. Say a special prayer today for children and teens in foster care, the situations they face, and their case workers. Also, pray for families to be open to becoming foster families. To learn more about foster care, visit: https://ccsem.org/adoption-and-foster-care/