As Saint Paul reminded the Corinthians, if I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. We honor Saint Paul Miki and his companion martyrs not because they suffered so much in bearing witness to Christ, but that they did so filled with love—not only for Christ, but also for their torturers. We do well to bear this in mind if God is not to be misunderstood as somehow delighting in the actual suffering of the martyrs. Instead, their suffering distresses God, as does the dehumanizing effect inflicting suffering has on their persecutors. Ultimately, it is therefore the triumph of love (despite the suffering) that is a pleasing sacrifice to God. Thus, in our first reading we heard the exhortation: Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind. Desiring martyrdom (as some have) is dubiously virtuous, but embracing the daily mini-martyrdoms of the will that are demanded in doing this good and sharing what we have with each other is to be welcomed and gives true joy to God as he beholds the fruit, in us, of his redeeming and sanctifying love.