Pope Francis: Let’s pray for those who risk their lives for the Gospel

By Vatican News

Pope Francis has often said: "There are more martyrs today than in the early days of the Church. So many of our brothers and sisters who offer their witness to Jesus and are persecuted".

The Pope's prayer intentions entrusted to his Worldwide Prayer Network for the coming year were published today. One intention is dedicated to Christian martyrs: "We pray that those who risk their lives for the Gospel in various parts of the world inflame the Church with their courage and missionary enthusiasm".

Repeatedly, the Pope has invited us to think of the many Christians imprisoned by the nazi and communist regimes, “just because they were Christians", but this is what happens "even today". There is persecution," says Pope Francis, "because the world does not tolerate the divinity of Christ, does not tolerate the proclamation of the Gospel". The Christian response to evil is love. The Pope reiterated this in February 2020 in Bari, on the occasion of the meeting 'Mediterranean frontier of peace': 

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. This is the Christian innovation. It is the Christian difference. Pray and love: this is what we must do; and not only with regard to those who love us, not only with regard to our friends or our own people. The love of Jesus knows no boundaries or barriers. The Lord demands of us the courage to have a love that does not count the cost. Because the measure of Jesus is love without measure. How many times have we neglected that demand, behaving like everyone else! Yet his commandment of love is not simply a challenge; it is the very heart of the Gospel. Where the command of universal love is concerned, let us not accept excuses or preach prudent caution. The Lord was not cautious; he did not yield to compromises. He asks of us the extremism of charity. This is the only legitimate kind of Christian extremism: the extremism of love“.

In the intentions there is also a prayer for political leaders, so that "they may be at the service of their own people, working for integral human development and for the common good,” giving special priority to the poorest. Power is not oppression or exploitation, says Francis: power is service.