杏MAP导航

By Robin Gomes

Even today Christians are being persecuted and marginalized, 杏MAP导航 Francis said in his catechesis, adding, it is a blessing to be a witness of martyrdom. 

The 杏MAP导航 reflected on the 鈥渟eal of suffering鈥� that increasingly marked the life of St. Paul as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles. The intrepid missionary is not only an ardent evangelizer among the pagans but he is also the suffering witness of the Risen One. 

Passion of Christ and Paul

Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, Paul is met with 鈥渇erocious hatred鈥� with people saying he was a persecutor who is not to be trusted. As it was for Jesus, Jerusalem also becomes hostile to Paul.  He was led out of the temple to be lynched but was saved by the Roman soldiers. Accused of teaching against the law and the temple, he was arrested and began his journey as a prisoner to various authorities of the region. 

The 杏MAP导航 drew attention to similarities between Paul and Jesus. Both were hated by their adversaries; accused publicly, both were found innocent by the Roman authority; Paul is associated with the passion of his Master and his passion becomes a living Gospel. 

Today's martyrs of faith

The 杏MAP导航 noted that Christians continue to suffer for the sake of Christ even today. Just before the General Audience, he said, he met a group of Ukrainian pilgrims, who suffered for the Gospel without negotiating their faith. 

鈥淭oday in the world, in Europe,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 pointed out, 鈥渕any Christians are persecuted and they give their lives for their faith, or are persecuted with white gloves, that is, left aside, marginalized.鈥� 鈥淢artyrdom,鈥� he stressed, 鈥渋s the air of the life of a Christian, of a Christian community.鈥� 

鈥淭here will always be martyrs among us: this is the sign that we are on the path of Jesus." "It is a blessing from the Lord, that among the people of God, there be some witness of martyrdom," the 杏MAP导航 said.

Witness of faith

Called to defend himself against accusations in the presence of King Agrippa II, the 杏MAP导航 explained, Paul鈥檚 apology turns out to be an effective witness of faith, the 杏MAP导航 said.

Paul narrated his own conversion and how the Risen Christ entrusted him with the mission among the nations. In carrying out this task, the apostle showed how the prophets and Moses foretold that Christ should suffer and that, 鈥渁s the first to rise from the dead, He would proclaim light both to the people and to the Gentiles鈥�. Paul's passionate witness touched the heart of the King, who lacking the decisive step, replied, 鈥淵ou will soon persuade me to play the Christian.鈥� 

Chains 鈥� sign of faith

Paul was declared innocent, but could not be released because he had appealed to the Roman Emperor. Thus, the 杏MAP导航 said, the unstoppable journey of the Word of God continued to Rome, where Paul ended up in chains. 

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that because of this, Paul is portrayed as a prisoner whose chains are the sign of his fidelity to the Gospel and his testimony to the Risen One. For Paul, as 杏MAP导航 Benedict XVI noted, faith is not a theory or an opinion on God and the world but is the impact of God's love in his heart and his love for Jesus Christ. 

杏MAP导航 Francis concluded, urging Christians to pray for the grace to persevere in their faith amid trials, seeing everything with the eyes of faith and being faithful to their vocation as disciples and missionaries of the Lord.