23-04-24 Menyetel Diri ke Frekuensi Tuhan: Bagaimana Mendengarkan Suara-Nya dan Mengubah Hidup Anda

St George, martyr "Jn 15:18-21" If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all this they will do to you on my account, because they do not know him who sent me. One day Blessed Pius IX had a meeting with seminarians. They were all studying theology and the Pope wanted to check how much they knew. He approached one of the students and asked him, "What are the marks of the Church?" The young fellow remembered the answer very well and said quickly, "The Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic." Bl Pius IX smiled and said, "There is another one." The boy looked at him, puzzled, and the Pope went on, "'Persecuted': The Church of Christ will always be One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic and 'Persecuted', or she will stop being the Church of Jesus Christ. Do you remember? 'If they persecuted me, they will persecute you'." Jesus was persecuted and killed; the Apostles followed in His footsteps and were persecuted as well. Since St Stephen was martyred, millions of Christians have given their lives in persecutions spanning twenty centuries. We shouldn't be surprised that even today Christians are persecuted, imprisoned and killed in many places [think about Syria, Egypt, Libya, Pakistan, China, Nigeria, North Korea, Iraq...] To those we could add all Christians who are persecuted in many ways in our countries for defending the truth of the Gospel, marriage and the right to life. Jesus said that it was going to happen, and so it does; but He also said, "I will be with you every single day until the end"... and He certainly is. Today is a good day to pray for all persecuted Christians around the world, that they may feel our prayers for them, that they may feel the presence of Jesus Crucified next to them, that they may feel comforted by Our Lady, standing as she does beside their crosses. St George, martyr for the faith, pray for them!