Aug 29, 2012 / 09:39 am
Pope Benedict XVI says the heroic sanctity of St. John the Baptist proves that a solid life of prayer is the best source of courage for Christians facing a modern world that is hostile to God and those who love him.
"The martyrdom of St. John the Baptist reminds us, Christians of our time, that we cannot stoop to compromises with the love of Christ, his Word, the Truth. The Truth is the Truth and there is no compromise," the Pope stated in his Aug. 29 general audience address at Castel Gandolfo.
Christian life, he said, requires a "daily martyrdom of fidelity to the Gospel" which can be defined as the "courage to let Christ grow in us and direct our thinking and our actions" and can only occur through a "solid relationship with God."
Pope Benedict also reflected on the contribution of prayer.