Pope Francis continued his preaching on apostolic zeal in his weekly General Audience address to the congregation gathered at St Peter's Square. He then spoke about St. Paul, calling him "a true champion of apostolic zeal."

About the reading for the day, the Pope said that today's attention should be focused on a multitude of martyrs, including people of all ages, nationalities, and languages who offered their lives in the name of Christ.

Martyrdom: Gift and Proof of Charity
When it comes to martyrs, Pope Francis emphasizes that they should not be viewed as 'heroes' who acted alone, but rather "as mature and excellent fruits of the Lord's vineyard". He urged us to honor each and every martyr who has been a part of the Church's history.

Pope Francis added that by participating in the Eucharistic celebration, Christians were led by the Spirit to base their lives on the "mystery of love", which is that Jesus gave His life for them, and thus they, too, "could and should give their lives for Him and their brothers and sisters."

He argued that there are more Christian martyrs today than in the first centuries. He stated that the Second Vatican Council reminds us that martyrdom, is wherein the disciple is made like his master, who voluntarily embraces death for the sake of the world, and it is through this that he becomes like Him in the shedding of blood. The Church regards this as a special gift and the greatest demonstration of charity.

Yemen's Ongoing War
As he came to the conclusion of his catechesis, Pope Francis shed light on the Christian witnesses that are present around the world and specifically called attention to Yemen, which he described as a country "that has been wounded for many years by a terrible, forgotten war" that has resulted in so many deaths and still causes so many people's suffering, especially children.

The Pope continued, "A shining example of self-giving by those serving Christ in that suffering nation" is that of the Missionary Sisters of Charity, who are still present in Yemen today, offering assistance to the sick, elderly, and people with disabilities.

The Pope stated that they welcome people of all faiths since generosity and fraternity know no boundaries. It is never permissible to kill in the name of God, because we are all brothers and sisters to Him. But when we work together, we may offer our lives for the sake of others.

May We Never Become Tired
Finally, the Pope asked us to pray that we never grow weary of bearing witness to the Gospel even in times of tribulation. While awaiting the complete manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven, when God will be all in all, he believed that all saints and martyrs would serve as symbols of reconciliation and peace between peoples for a more humane and friendly world.