Francis: The powerful always try to silence the prophets
Francis: The powerful always try to silence the prophets
At this morning’s mass in St. Martha’s House, Francis reminded faithful that those who proclaim the Gospel face potential persecution: “perhaps there are as many or more martyrs now that in the early days.” In some places people have to celebrate fake birthday parties in order to celebrate mass
Domenico Agasso jr RomeAnnouncing the Gospel means facing the possibility of persecution, Francis said at this morning’s mass in St. Martha’s House, according to Vatican Radio’s report. Today there are perhaps more martyrs in the Church than there were in the early days of Christianity, he went on to say, encouraging faithful not to be afraid of misunderstandings and persecution.
Taking a passage for the Book of Wisdom as his inspiration, Francis observed that Jesus’ enemies lay traps for him, they make slanderous statements about him and try to defame him. They prepare to destroy what is Just. He opposes their actions, he condemns acts that violate the law and the education received. The prophets have been persecuted throughout the history of salvation because they say: “You have taken the wrong path! Return to the path of God!” But those who have taken the wrong path do not like this.
“Today's Gospel is clear, no? Jesus hid, in those last days, because His hour had yet to come – but He knew what end he would make, and how He would make it. Jesus is persecuted from the beginning: when we remember the beginning of his preaching, He returns to His country, goes to the synagogue and preaches. After great adulation, the voices begin almost right away to murmur: ‘But, we know where He comes from… He is one of us… with that authority comes He to teach us? Where did He study?’ [Thus] they write Him off. It is the same old thing: ‘But we know where He is from! Christ, however, when He comes, no one will know where he is from. Write the Lord off, write off the prophet in order to take away his authority.”
They do so because Jesus went out and released them from that closed religious environment, from that cage.” The prophet “fights against those who put the Holy Spirit in a cage. This is why they are always persecuted!” “The prophets,” Pope Francis said, “are all persecuted or misunderstood,” pushed aside – a situation that does not cease to repeat itself after Christ’s death and resurrection, but continues even in the Church. “When we read the lives of the saints, Pope Francis said, “how many misunderstandings [have there been], how many of the saints have suffered persecution… because they were prophets.”
"Many thinkers in the Church were persecuted, as well. I think of one, now, at this moment, not so far from us: a man of good will, a prophet indeed, who, in his writings reproached the Church for having lost the way of the Lord. He was summoned in short order, his books were placed on the index [the list of works that were banned or restricted to experts because of their problematic, erroneous and even heretical content], they took away his teaching positions – and thus, this man’s life ended – and it was not so long ago. [Now] time has passed, and today he is Blessed. How is it, though, that he, who yesterday was a heretic, is today a Blessed of the Church? It is because yesterday, those who had power wanted to silence him because they did not like what he was saying. Today the Church, who, thanks be to God knows repent, says, ‘No, this man is good!’ Moreover, he is on the way to sainthood: He is a Blessed.”
“All the people whom the Holy Spirit chooses to tell the truth to the People of God suffer persecution,” Pope Francis said – and Jesus “is precisely the model, the icon.” The Lord took upon Himself “all the persecutions of His people.” The Holy Father went on to note that Christians continue to suffer persecution even today. “I dare say,” he added, “that perhaps there are as many or more martyrs now that in the early days,” because they tell the truth and proclaim Christ Jesus to a worldly society in love with ease and desirous of avoiding problems.”
“There is the death penalty or imprisonment for having the Gospel at home, for teaching the Catechism, today, in some parts of the world. A Catholic from one of these countries told me that they cannot pray together. It is forbidden. People can only pray alone and in secret – but they want to celebrate the Eucharist and how do they do? They throw a birthday party, they pretend to celebrate the birthday there and [have Mass] before the ‘party’. It has happened. When they see the police arrive, they just hide everything and [continue with the birthday party-cover]. Then, when [authorities] leave, they finish the [Mass]. They have to do so, because it is forbidden to pray together: in this very day.”
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