"The apostle rejoices at the thought that he will not be ashamed of anything and will not in any way neglect his duty as an apostle of Jesus Christ. He rejoices, even in the midst of the chains of his imprisonment, that Jesus will always be exalted in his body. If he lives, he will exalt Jesus Christ through his life and his preaching, even while he is in prison. he had always preached until that time, and now he preaches to the praetorian guard. If he will be martyred, then he will glorify Jesus Christ by offering the supreme testimony of his love.

Thus he declares openly that for him his life is Christ, who is the heart and center of his entire life, the motive for all his actions, the ultimate goal of all his aspirations. Paul then adds that death would be a gain for him, because through his martyrdom he would give solemn testimony to Jesus by his love. It would make his union with Jesus even more indissoluble and would increase the glory that awaits him."

-St. Pio of Pietrelcina