Magisterium of the Martyrs

By Fr. Jerry Pokorsky ( bio - articles - email ) | Oct 20, 2025

“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Lk. 18:8) Faith in Jesus fulfills and replaces the faith of the Chosen People. Faith accepts what God reveals through the teachings of the Church and responds according to His will. “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Faith and morality are inextricably linked. Our beliefs determine our morality, and our morality reveals our underlying beliefs. Even righteous unbelievers reveal their belief in the mysterious Truth.

Every form of belief relies on the authority of others. We have no direct personal knowledge that the earth revolves around the sun. Most are not members of the Flat Earth Society because we believe the testimony of knowledgeable scientists. Reliable authorities are necessary for reasonable faith—even in secular matters.

During the time of Jesus, Israel had two prominent authorities in and around Jerusalem. The high priest Caiaphas represented religious Jews; Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, embodied the law of the occupiers. Their views of morality trickled down to their followers, who believed them and acted accordingly.

Pilate embodies the party of truth-deniers. During his dialogue with Jesus, Pontius Pilate eventually revealed his core principle in the form of a question: “What is truth?” Pilate not only refused to accept His testimony but denied his own capacity to know the truth. The question continues throughout the ages; the answer defines every cultural group. Unable to recognize truth, fear became Pilate’s primary motivation, and the Roman skeptic murdered Truth Incarnate.

The high priest Caiaphas embodies the practical party. He held religious principles—at least on parchment—and used them to indict Jesus. But he abandoned his religious principles and appealed to political expediency to persuade Pilate to execute Jesus. “You do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish.” (Jn. 11:50) Practical morality, then and now, justifies evil means to accomplish desirable ends.

So Caiaphas conspired to murder Jesus. His practicalities, apart from religious principles, inflamed hatreds that would cause his followers to deny the Jewish faith. “Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’” (Jn. 19:15) The practical faith of Caiaphas and the skeptical faith of Pilate converged with fear and murder, forming common ground.

Catholic morality expresses and applies the Catholic faith. On one hand, the truths of the faith are easy to identify, though difficult to live. On the other hand, Church authorities can be confusing, and the flurry of information we receive in the modern chaos of mass communication amplifies the confusion. Where do we begin?

Begin with the Resurrection. After His ignominious crucifixion, the risen Jesus appears to His beloved disciples, validates His teaching, and reveals that He has overcome the world for all time. Mary and the Apostles testify to His mighty words and deeds. The Evangelists record the testimony, and the Church—born on Pentecost with Peter as Pope—hands down the faith through the ages. Even “Big Brother” in George Orwell’s chilling book, 1984, cannot change the narrative.

Every generation sees Church authorities—popes, bishops, and priests—teach the faith through the sacred offices of the Magisterium. Octogenarians in 2025 have lived through seven popes and are racing to the finish with their eighth, Pope Leo. As the Church develops a deeper understanding of God’s revelation, she holds fast to Jesus, His teachings, and the founding principles of the Apostles’ Creed. Popes—with their glorious teachings and occasional inglorious misstatements—come and go. But like Old Man River, the Church keeps rolling along.

We cannot deny the silliness and outright evil that we find within the Church. Some are tempted to dismiss the Church as irrelevant and hypocritical. The Church isn’t irrelevant or hypocritical. We are—when we depart from Church teaching and authentic Christian living. The Old Testament prophets didn’t indict the faith of Israel; they condemned the wickedness of the Chosen People.

Jesus fulfills the ministry of the Old Testament prophets and institutes the Sacrament of Penance for our salvation. There is no sin too great that Jesus cannot forgive. Those in authority—like Pilate, Caiaphas, and our civil and Church leaders—have a greater responsibility to adhere to the principles of truth and justice because, according to God’s plan, they direct our faith. But the same diabolical forces that shaped the moral principles of Caiaphas and Pilate also reject God’s authority and His saving revelation in every generation.

Hence, some pretend they do not know the difference between men and women. Others use every weapon at their disposal in support of the Caiaphas Principle: Better that thousands of innocents perish than that a nation suffer. Church authorities may also waver as good and reliable guides—just as Peter wavered during the Passion and in his doctrinal altercations with St. Paul. To whom shall we turn?

The Church has a secret weapon in defense of Christian principles: martyrdom. St. Thomas More lost his head in witness to the indissolubility of marriage. The North American Martyrs shed their blood in witness to the immutable truths of the faith. The Ugandan martyrs died rather than give in to the unnatural demands of a perverse king.

The Sacred Liturgy repeatedly directs people, priests, and popes to the witness of the many saints who received the martyr’s crown. The Magisterium of the Martyrs—and the reasons for which they died—removes the fog of doubt we may endure amid the confusion that attacks and misrepresents the authority of our institutions and even the Church.

Jesus is worth living for—and dying for. In Jesus, we believe. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21)

Fr. Jerry Pokorsky is a priest of the Diocese of Arlington who has also served as a financial administrator in the Diocese of Lincoln. Trained in business and accounting, he also holds a Master of Divinity and a Master’s in moral theology. Father Pokorsky co-founded both CREDO and Adoremus, two organizations deeply engaged in authentic liturgical renewal. He writes regularly for a number of Catholic websites and magazines. See full bio.

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