Here and Now with Francis 4/13/16 (martyrdom, persecution, modernity, faith, Christianity)
Persecution, I would say, is the daily bread of the Church. Jesus said so himself.
From the homily
Pope Francis said “there are bloody persecutions, like being torn to pieces by wild beasts to the delight of the audience in the stands or being blown up by a bomb at the end of Mass” and there are “velvet-gloved” persecutions that are “cloaked in politeness": the ones that marginalize you, take your job away if you fail to adapt to laws that "go against God the Creator." Pope Francis pointed out that the martyrdom of Stephen sparked a cruel anti-Christian persecution in Jerusalem similar to the persecution suffered by those who are not free to profess their faith in Jesus today.
“But – he noted - there is another persecution which is not much spoken about," a persecution "camouflaged by culture, by modernity, by progress in disguise": "It is a persecution I would 'ironically describe as polite” he said. [link]