Christians in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere are today facing persecution. Churches and monasteries that have stood since the dawn of Christianity are being destroyed, Christians are driven from their homes, and some are threatened and killed if they refuse to renounce the faith.

The courage of our brothers and sisters in the face of this onslaught is inspiring. Their devotion to Our Lord Jesus Christ, their love for the Mass and the sacraments, and their steadfast living of the moral teaching of Christ and the Church stands as an example for us who live in relative comfort.

We still have the freedom to worship the one true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. We have our Churches at which we can attend Mass freely, and receive the sacraments. When we consider the plight of those who are deprived of these freedoms, we must give thanks to God for the benefits that He makes available to us through the Church, value them greatly, and make the best use of them.

We have a responsibility to make known the plight of those who are suffering for the faith, and support them as much as we can. When we see efforts in our own country to restrict the freedom of Christians to speak and to act in accordance with the teaching of Christ, we need to stand up and be counted. Most of all, the inspiring example of our suffering brothers and sisters urges us to live our faith fervently, and to be generous in giving our time to the worship of the Lord.