Pope: "We are not a 'religion' of ideas, pure theology", but witnesses of Jesus
Vatican City (AsiaNews)
- The Church is not a "school of religion", "we are not a 'religion'
of ideas, pure theology", but witnesses of Jesus, even unto martyrdom. This
was Pope Francis' reflection at Mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta,
commenting on the passage from the Acts of the Apostles which tells of the
martyrdom of St. Stephen, described as "a replica of the martyrdom of Jesus."
Vatican Radio reports, the Popetraced the path that led to the death of the first martyr of the Church,
a death that was the exact replica of Christ's. He, too, like Jesus , he said,
had encountered "the jealousy of the leaders who were trying" to eliminate
him. He too had "false witnesses" , a "rushed judgment". Stephen
warns them that are resisting the Holy Spirit, as Jesus had said , but
"these people - said the Pope - were uneasy, were not at peace in their
hearts". These people , he added, had " hatred " in their heart
. That is why, on hearing Stephen's words, they were furious . "This
hatred - said Pope Francis - was sown in their hearts by the devil",
"this is the devil's hatred of Christ".
The devil "who did what he wanted with Jesus Christ in his Passion now
does the same" with Stephen. This "struggle between God and the
devil" is clearly seen in martyrdom. "On the other hand, Jesus had told
his disciples that they had to rejoice to be persecuted in his name: "To
be persecuted, to be a martyr, to gives ones' life for Jesus is one of the
Beatitudes". That is why, the Pope added , "the devil cannot stand
seeing the sanctity of a church or the sanctity of a person, without trying to
do something". This is what he does with Stephen, but "he died like
Jesus forgiving".
"Martyrdom is the translation of a Greek word that also means witness. And
so we can say that for a Christian the path follows in the footsteps of this
witness, Christ's footsteps, to bear witness to Him and, many times, this
witness ends up in laying down one's life . You cannot understand a Christian
without witness. We are not a ' religion' of ideas, of pure theology, beautiful
things, of commandments. No, we are a people who follow Jesus Christ and bear
witness - who want to bear witness to Jesus Christ - and sometimes this witness
leads to laying down our lives".
On Stephen's death, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, "a severe
persecution began against the Church in Jerusalem". These people , the
Pope observed , "felt strong and the devil provoked them to do this"
and so "Christians scattered to the regions of Judea and Samaria".
This persecution, the Pope noted, means that "the people spread far and
wide" and wherever they went they explained the Gospel , gave testimony of
Jesus , and so "mission of the Church" began. "So many - he
recalled - converted, on hearing these people". One of the Fathers of the
Church, explained this by saying : "The blood of martyrs is the seed of
Christians". With "their witness, they preach the faith" :
"Witness, be it in everyday life, in difficulties, and even in persecution
and death, always bears fruit. The Church is fruitful and a mother when she
witnesses to Jesus Christ. Instead , when the church closes in on itself , when
it thinks of itself as a - so to speak - 'school of religion', with so many
great ideas, with many beautiful temples, with many fine museums, with many
beautiful things, but does not give witness, it becomes sterile. The Christian
is the same. The Christian who does not bear witness, is sterile, without
giving the life he has received from Jesus Christ".
The Pope continued, "Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit", and
"we cannot bear witness without the presence of the Holy Spirit in
us". Pope Francis advised those present: "In difficult times, where we
have to choose the right path, where we have to say 'no' to a lot of things
that maybe try to seduce us, there is prayer to the Holy Spirit, and He makes
us strong enough to take this path of witness":
"Today thinking about these two icons - Stephen, who dies, and the people,
the Christians, fleeing, scattering far and wide because of the violent
persecution - let us ask: How is my witness? Am I a Christian who witnesses to
Jesus or are a simple numerary in this sect ? Am I fruitful because I bear
witness, or sterile because unable to let the Holy Spirit lead me forward in my
Christian vocation?" .
17/05/2020 12:35
16/05/2020 12:38