“Jesus invites us, with His help, not to give up on doing good, but to continue acting for our own good and for the good of all, even of those who cause us suffering,” emphasized the Pope in his reflection before the Angelus prayer at Piazza della Libertà, Castel Gandolfo.
Rome (August 17, 2025, Gaudium Press) – The Holy Father referred to the day’s Gospel (Lk 12:49-53), where Jesus explains to the disciples His difficult mission, and that of His followers, which is often a “sign of contradiction” (cf. Lk 2:34).
Foretelling Difficult Events
The Pope highlighted Jesus’ announcement to His disciples about what awaited Him in Jerusalem. He would be arrested, insulted, mistreated, and crucified, as the leaders of the people would react with cruelty to His teachings.
A similar fate awaited the first Christian communities who, although peaceful and striving to live out the Master’s message of charity, would suffer persecution.
The Cost of Doing Good
The Pope reminded the faithful that goodness is not always recognized; rather, “precisely because of its beauty, it disturbs those who reject it. Those who practice it face strong opposition and even abuse and violence.” Leo XIV emphasized, “acting according to the truth has a cost, because there are people in the world who choose lies, and because the devil, taking advantage of this, often tries to block the actions of the good.”
The Holy Father stressed that Jesus “invites us, with His help, not to give up or conform to this mentality, but to continue to act for our good and the good of others, even those who make us suffer.” We must not “respond to violence with revenge, but remain faithful to the truth in charity. The martyrs bear witness to this, shedding their blood for the faith, and we too, in different circumstances and in other ways, can imitate them.”
The Pope highlighted the high price that a good father or mother must pay to raise their children well. Sometimes, they must say “no,” rebuke them, and this brings suffering. “The same applies to a teacher who wants to properly educate their students, a professional, a religious, a politician who chooses to honestly fulfill their mission, or anyone striving to carry out their responsibilities faithfully, following the teachings of the Gospel.”
Leo XIV concluded by encouraging the faithful to pray to Mary, Queen of Martyrs, “to help us be faithful and courageous witnesses of her Son in all circumstances, and to support our brothers and sisters who suffer today because of their faith.”
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
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