Romero's Challenge for us Today

“It costs so much to be a full human being that there are few who have the enlightenment to pay the price.” –Morris West

Yesterday I had the opportunity to go to an event near Milwaukee on Oscar Romero.  Oscar Romero was the Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador from 1977 until March 24, 1980, when he was assassinated for speaking out against the injustice and violence being waged in El Salvador by the Salvadoran military and government against the people (see my post from a few years ago for more details about Oscar Romero).

Many of the speakers and conversations at the event yesterday focused on Romero’s conversion or transformation- the process that brought Romero to be a full human and to pay the price for living life so fully.

Oscar Romero never ceases to amaze, inspire, and encourage me.  As I learn more about Romero’s life, I’m finding it is the way he lived his life more than the way he died that challenges and inspires me.

How did Romero have the enlightenment to pay the price for being a full human being?  How can we take steps in the right direction of becoming a full human being and how do we get this enlightenment?

Here’s what we can learn from Romero:

Romero was so in touch with God.  He was a man of prayer, he prayed constantly and in all circumstances.  Romero’s driver told a story about the time Romero was involved in mediating a hostage situation.  Romero was praying, but stopped to ask the driver what he should do if someone started shooting in this tense situation.  The driver advised Romero to dive behind a ledge.  Romero went on praying and then paused to ask the driver if this would really work.  The driver answered (only partly joking) that yes, diving behind the ledge would protect Romero if he could stop praying for a moment to do so.  Above all, Romero knew God is the ultimate source of all strength.    

Today we must somehow find that connection with God through prayer, reflection, and scripture.  Only through an intimate connection with God can we ever hope to even know what God is trying to bring about here on earth. 

Romero was open to seeing and learning about the difficult and painful reality of the world.  Romero spent countless hours with people listening to their stories of grief and suffering and Romero traveled all around El Salvador seeing for himself the conditions and situations people were living in.  I can only imagine how painful this was for Romero to learn about and see the suffering of thousands of people.  Romero could have spent his life reading books and saying mass, but instead, he stepped out of his comfortable “bubble.”  

Today we must seek out the truth about the harsh realities of the world.  There is so much injustice in the world (including in our own communities), and we must educate ourselves and learn the truth, otherwise we have no chance of ending injustice.

Romero spent his time with the people who were suffering the most and the people who were nearest to death.  As the head of the Catholic Church in El Salvador, Romero could have very easily spent his time with the religious, political, and societal leaders of the country- the wealthy and the powerful.  However, Romero chose to live in a cancer hospital for the poor.  He chose to spend his time visiting poor rural communities.  He chose to devote his time to working for justice for people who were suffering and dying at the hands of the wealthy and powerful.   

Today we must ask ourselves: Where have we planted our feet and with whom do we spend our time?  Do we spend our time with the kind of people Jesus spent his time with, those people who are rejected by society?  We have so much to learn from the people who society rejects.

And finally, Romero did all this in community.  Romero had the direct and indirect support of fellow priests and the Salvadoran people.  Romero drew courage and strength from the Salvadoran people, and likewise, the Salvadoran people found strength in seeing Romero work to bring about a better world.  Three decades after his death, Romero continues to be a source of hope for the Salvadoran people.

Today we can’t do anything unless we do it together.  People of all countries, ages, races, economic levels, religions, denominations, etc. must join together to encourage each other to live more fully as humans. 

The life of Oscar Romero challenges us to continue the journey Romero set out on- to focus on Jesus in the deep darkness of this world and thus find the Light.