Pope Francis told his public audience on June 28 that “the proclamation of the Kingdom of God always involves opposition,” and “the confession of faith always takes place in a climate of hostility.” Reflecting on the words of Jesus, “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves,” the Holy Father remarked that in a sinful world the message of the Gospel will always encounter resistance. He reminded his audience that the term “martyr” refers to a witness to the Gospel. Martyrs endure through opposition, he said, and “whoever endures to the end will be saved.”
One key sign of authentic Christian witness is poverty of spirit, the Pope said; the Christian who proclaims the Gospel is detached from any worldly power and left to rely solely upon God. The Pope cautioned that while Christians are called to be prudent and “even at times cunning,” they must never stoop to the use of violence or other immoral means. “To overcome evil, one cannot share the methods of evil,” he said.
