Pope at Angelus: Christian witness leads to changed hearts, miracles of faith

By Thaddeus Jones

The day after Christmas, on the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, Pope Francis led the recitation of the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square.

In his address, the Pope spoke about the heroic witness of Saint Stephen, whom he recalled for his integrity, dedicated service to the poor, and great courage in bearing witness to Jesus even as he was mercilessly stoned to death by his persecutors led by Saul.

Grace that transforms hearts

Saul and Stephen, the persecutor and the persecuted, seem to be totally divided, the Pope observed, the hardline pharisee versus the heroic Christian believer condemned to death.

Yet, behind appearances, there is a strong bond between the two, said the Pope, since through Stephen's witness, the Lord was preparing Saul's heart for conversion when he would become the great Apostle Paul.

While Stephen offers the ultimate sacrifice as a martyr, his prayers, faith, and especially the forgiveness he offers as he is dying plant a hidden seed in Saul that will eventually transform his heart of stone into a heart of flesh, the Pope explained. 

Sacrifices that bear fruit

The Pope paid tribute to the many modern-day martyrs, Christians who are persecuted for their faith and offer the ultimate sacrifice through their suffering and death in bearing witness to Jesus.

And he remembered those who are penalized in various ways for choosing to act in ways that are consistent with the Gospel by being faithful to the Lord and their calling while the world ridicules or preaches otherwise.

The call to bear witness

The Pope suggested we then ask ourselves about how much we care about believers around the world who "still suffer and die for the faith today" and the importance of praying for them, as so many are murdered for their faith.

At the same time, we should examine our own commitment to witnessing to the Gospel with consistency, humility, and confidence.

And while "the seed of goodness will bear fruit," he wondered, do we still have faith even if the results are not immediate?