Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota is rebuking Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s controversial statements on prayer following the Annunciation Catholic School shooting.
According to Fox News, Barron makes it clear that people of faith do not pray simply because it is some magic fix-all, but because it is our way of connecting to the Lord.
“Catholics don’t think that prayer magically protects them from all suffering,” Barron told Fox. ” After all, Jesus prayed fervently from the cross on which he was dying.”
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Barron further says that “Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God, which strikes me as altogether appropriate precisely at times of great pain.” He also noted that prayer does not negate us from action, but rather goes hand-in-hand with our greatest decisions. “…prayer by no means stands in contrast to decisive moral action. Martin Luther King was a man of deep prayer, who also effected a social revolution in our country…”
Beyond this attack against prayer, Barron points out that what happened at the Catholic school is part of something that is happening to Christians all over the world: persecution.
“”In the past seven years in our country, there has been a 700% increase in violent acts against Christians and Christian churches,” says Barron. “Worldwide, Christianity is by far the most persecuted religion.”
He also noted that when attacks happen on other religious groups, no one questions whether or not the crimes were part of a hatred for that group of people. However, he finds it shocking that many refuse to call this an attack against Catholics.
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“…why would we even hesitate to say that a maniac shooting into a Catholic Church while children are at prayer was committing an anti-Catholic act?” Barron asked.
As Christians, we must remain sober-minded and on guard at all times, recognizing that persecution is not something reserved for distant nations—it is rising here in America. To think that the faithful will be spared is to deceive ourselves. Scripture reminds us that those who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will face opposition, and this moment is a sobering reminder that our faith will be tested.
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Now more than ever, we must be vigilant, steadfast in prayer and unwavering in our witness, knowing that persecution is not a matter of if but when.
Abby Trivett is content development editor for Charisma Media.
