Servant of God Takashi Nagai (died May 1) was an extraordinary individual who made his way from atheism to the heart of the Church. He was born in 1908 in Matsue, Japan. With an education steeped in scientific principles and the study of Western medicine, Takashi’s youthful thoughts were dominated by a sort of scientism, leaving faith – more or less – at the wayside. But after the death of his mother and meeting his future wife Midori, who came from a devout Catholic family, Takashi faced rigorous spiritual queries. Eventually, he converted to the faith. A scientist specializing in radiology, he used x-rays often in his field. He was in a hospital at Nagasaki when the second atomic bomb was employed in World War II. In the aftermath, he cared for many of the injured and – upon returning home – found his house decimated and Midori gone. The effects of the radiation – resulting both from his work and the atomic blast – left Takashi in waning health. The remaining years of his life were dedicated not only to science but also to writing, illustrating, and advocating for peace.

“Go to the mountains and meditate! If you stay in the hurly-burly of this world, you’ll run around in circles without ever finding your way. You’ll become the kind of person who just stamps and screams. But the blue mountains are immovable and the white clouds come and go.” – Dr. Takashi Nagai

Questions for Reflection:

• Where there is strife – in our own lives and with those we know – do we try to bring peace?
• In what areas of our lives do we need conversion? In what ways do we need to turn back to God?