In his homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis said that the only way to follow Jesus is by being examples of obedience.
POPE FRANCIS
'The life of a Christian is not a social status. It is not a way of living a spirituality that makes me good, that makes me a little better. This is not enough. The life of a Christian is the testimony of obedience and the life of a Christian is full of slander, gossip and persecution.'
Pope Francis explained that being a Christian can sometimes be difficult, but one should not be afraid because he remembered that those who are persecuted will be blessed.
EXCERPTS OF PAPAL HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'The Christian is a witness of obedience; if we are not on this path and growing in our witness we are not Christians. We must at least walk this way. Jesus is not the testimonial of an idea, of a philosophy, of a company, of a bank or of power: he is a testimonial of obedience. To become a witness of obedience we need the 'grace of the Holy Spirit. Only the Spirit can make us witnesses of obedience. Itâ??s not enough to listen to spiritual guides or to read booksâ?¦. all that is fine but only the Spirit can change our heart and make us witnesses of obedience.â?
'Persecutions were the consequences of this witness of obedience. When Jesus lists the Beatitudes he ends with the words â??Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you.'
Being a Christian has nothing to do with social status, it is not a lifestyle that makes one feel good; being a Christian means being a witness of obedience and the life of a Christian is full of insults and persecutions.â?
'In order to be witnesses of obedience like Jesus, it is necessary to pray, to recognize that we are sinners with much 'worldlinessâ? in our hearts and to ask God for the grace of becoming witnesses of obedience' and to not be afraid when we are insulted and persecuted 'because as the Lord said: the Spirit will tell us what to answer.'
