Pro-lifers.. We Are Apostles

Below are the words that Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko preached from a previous talk of Cardinal Wyszynski:

“The greatest shortcoming of an apostle is fear, because it inspires doubt in the power of the Master, cramps the heart, and strangles the voice. The apostle no longer professes. Is he still an apostle? The disciple who abandons the Master no longer professes his faith in Him. They encourage the executioners. Anyone who remains silent before his enemies emboldens them. An apostle’s fear is the primary ally of an enemy’s cause. In a strategy towards godlessness, the terror that is practiced by all dictatorships draws its effectiveness from the timidity of the apostles. The first goal is to force one into silence through fear. Silence has its apostolic significance only when I do not shrink from my oppressors. This is what the silent Christ did, and by this sign He revealed His courage. Christ did not allow himself to be terrorized. When He went forth to meet the rabble, He said openly, “It is I.”

“To liberate man so that he can aim for the truth and live by it, it is necessary to acquire the virtue of valor. The proof of Christian valor lies in readiness to fight for the truth. The virtue of valor is nothing else but the shedding of human weakness, especially fear and apprehension. We must be afraid of only one thing in our life-betraying Jesus for the few silver coins of barren quietude. It is not enough for a Christian to condemn evil, cowardice, lies, and use of force, hatred, and oppression. He must at all times be a witness to and defender of justice, goodness, truth, freedom, and love. He must never tire of claiming these values as a right both for himself and others.”