Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Benedict XVI has used the feast of John the Baptist’s martyrdom today to remind  ‘Christians of our time that we can not stoop to compromises with the love of Christ, his Word, the Truth, the Truth is the Truth and there is no compromise.”

The Holy Father was speaking during his general audience held in Castel Gandolfo, where 2,600 French altar servers, girls and boys, were among the thousands gathered in Freedom Square, before the Apostolic palace to hear Pope Benedict’s catechesis dedicated to the memorial of the Forerunner to Christ and how he teaches us that Christian witness is fed by prayer.

“Christian life requires the daily martyrdom of fidelity to the Gospel,” the Pope said. “That is the courage to let Christ grow in us and direct our thinking and our actions.”
The Holy Father added that this courage can only come from a solid relationship with God.

“Prayer is not a waste of time, it does not rob much space from our activities, not even apostolic activities, it does the exact opposite,” he said. “Only if we are able to have a life of faithful, constant, confident prayer will God Himself give us the strength and capacity to live in a happy and peaceful way, to overcome difficulties and to bear witness with courage. St John the Baptist intercede for us, so that we always maintain the primacy of God in our lives.”

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