Vatican
City, 23 June 2013 (VIS) – At noon Sunday, the Holy Father Francis
appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace
to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Before the Marian prayer he recalled Jesus' most incisive words:
“whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses
his life for my sake will save it.” He then asked: “but what does
it mean 'to lose one's life for Jesus' cause'? This can happen in two
ways: by explicitly confessing the faith or implicitly defending
truth. The martyrs are the best example of losing one's life for
Christ. In two thousand years an immense host of men and women have
sacrificed their lives to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and his
Gospel. And today, in many parts of the world, there are … so many
martyrs who give their lives for Christ, who are brought to death for
not denying Jesus Christ. This is our Church.”
“Today
we have more martyrs than in the first centuries! But there is also
the daily martyrdom, which doesn't result in death but is also a
'losing of one's life' for Christ: doing one's duty with love,
according to the logic of Jesus, the logic of giving and sacrifice.
Think how many fathers and mothers put their faith into practice
every day, offering their lives for the good of the family! … How
many priests, brothers, and sisters generously carry out their
service for the Kingdom of God. How many young people give up their
own interests to dedicate themselves to children, the disabled, the
elderly... These too are martyrs! Everyday martyrs, martyrs of
everyday life! And there are many people, Christians and
non-Christians, who 'lose their own life' for the truth. Christ said
'I am the truth', so those who serve the truth serve Christ.”
The
Holy Father recalled how St. John the Baptist devoted himself
entirely to God and, in the end, died for the truth. “How many
people pay dearly for their commitment to the truth! How many
righteous men and women prefer to go against the current so as to not
deny the voice of their conscience, the voice of truth! Righteous
people, who are unafraid of going against the current! And we must
not be afraid!”
Before
concluding, the Pope addressed the young persons present, telling
them: “Don't be afraid to go against the current, when they want to
steal our hope, when they propose rotten values to us, values like
food that has gone bad—and when food has gone bad it makes us sick,
these values make us sick. We have to go against the current! And
you, young people, be the first: Go against the grain and be proud of
going against the grain. Go on, be brave and go against the current!
And be proud of doing it!”
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