Pope says preaching of the Gospel invites persecution, misunderstanding

April 04, 2014 - Pope Francis on Friday urged Christians not to fear misunderstanding and persecution, saying it is inevitable with those preaching the Gospel, like the Lord. Delivering a homily at the morning Mass in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican, the Pope reflected on the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, saying the heart of the wicked who turn away from God wants to manipulate religion. He said that the enemies of Jesus were laying traps and cooking up slander to defame him, because he was opposing their actions, reprimanding their sins and transgressions against the law. Throughout the history of salvation, as also in the Church, the Pope said, the prophets were persecuted, because they pointed out to people their wrong ways, but the powerful dislike this. The day’s Gospel speaks about Jesus hiding from the Jews who were trying to kill him. The Pope said they discredited Jesus because he came out and was making others come out of their closed religious environment, from the cage. The prophet is always persecuted because he fights against people who cage in the Holy Spirit.
Prophets are always persecuted, misunderstood and side-lined. This situation, the Pope said, hasn’t ended with the death and resurrection of Jesus, and it also continues in the Church. Prophets are persecuted both within and outside the Church, the Pope said, saying the lives of saints speak of the misunderstanding and persecution they faced because they were prophets. The Pope said that many thinkers have also been persecuted for the same reasons, and he particularly recalled one, not long ago, without naming him, who was removed from his teaching post and his books banned, because his books criticized the Church for straying away from the pat of the Lord. But with the passing of time he is blessed today. “But how is it possible that yesterday he was a heretic and today is a blessed,” the Pope asked. “Thanks to God’s grace, today the Church had repented,” the Pope said, adding this person is not only good but is a blessed, on the way to sainthood.
Even today, Christians are persecuted, the Pope said, adding, “I dare say perhaps there are more martyrs today that in the early times,” because they tell the truth and proclaim Jesus to a worldly society that is tranquil and does not want to be disturbed. The Pope spoke of certain parts of the world where one faces death or imprisonment for keeping the Gospel at home or for teaching the Catechism. A Catholic from one such country told the Pope they cannot pray in a group, and so when they want to celebrate Mass, they do so in the name of a birthday party. But when they see the police arriving, they immediately get into a merry making mood until the police are gone. The Pope drew consolation for the persecuted Christians, saying it always ends like the Lord with his resurrection but through the Cross. In this regard, he recalled Jesuit priest and missionary in China in the 16th and 17th century, Fr. Matteo Ricci, who was persecuted and misunderstood, but today is a Servant of God. The Pope thus urged all to ask the Lord for the grace of following his path, even with the cross of persecution.