Remembering Oscar Romero (1)

Today March 24, marks the 29th. anniversary of the assassination of the late bishop of El Savador, Oscar Romero by unknown assailants.

US Catholic reports here:

On this 29th anniversary of his death, the people will march through the streets carrying that promise printed on thousands of banners. Mothers will make pupusas (thick tortillas with beans) at 5 a.m., pack them, and prepare the children for a two-to-four hour ride or walk to the city to remember the gentle man they called Monseñor.

Read the whole story here.

Today too, all over the world, we continue to witness violence being perpetrated by governments and their agencies, drug lords, mafia and crime syndicates, people traffickers, etc. etc. against ordinary citizens.

Back home here, we too continue to see all kinds of threats, counter-threats, arbitrary arrests being forced on the common people.

It is only appropriate then that we ever more heed the words of Archbishop Romero. In a book of collected sermons, "The Violence of Love", Romero had this to say on December 5, 1977:

"To be a Christian now means to have the courage to preach the true teaching of Christ, and not be afraid of it, not be silent out of fear, and preach something easy that won't cause problems. To be a Christian in this hour means to have the courage that the Holy Spirit gives in the sacrament of Confirmation, to be valiant soldiers of Christ the King, to make his teaching prevail, to reach hearts and proclaim the courage that one must have to defend God's law."

His words still ring true even now. During these times of uncertainty, especially wherever justice and peace are being held ransom, many times by those forces which are supposed to uphold these principles, it's imperative that we do not lose hope, and that in spite and despite everything that is happening all around us, we continue to take heart and live in hope.

In his own words, Let's not curse the darkness, rather light a candle.

For more on Romero's life, go here.

To download a free copy of the e-book The Violence of Love, (231 pages, 963 kb) go here.