Oscar Romero: Christ Has Loved All of Us

"Love must win out...."

Today is the commemoration of Blessed Oscar Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, and the 38th anniversary of his martyrdom.

Romero was killed while saying Mass (at the altar, during the offertory) by a paramilitary "death squad" on March 24, 1980. It was in the early stages of El Salvador's awful 12 year civil war.

In my own lifetime, there have been so many dramatic events, so much appalling evil, so much heroic goodness.

In a tumultuous era of massive and often disconcerting changes, Christ's love remains the same. He has taken the true measure of our lives and given them meaning.

In Jesus Christ we stand firm and live in hope, come what may!

Blessed Oscar Romero, pray for us all, that we might be given the grace to always respond to violence with love.

Quotations from Archbishop Romero:

"How can the Church not be pained by a civilization of selfishness, this civilization of cruel inequalities where the poor, the helpless, the hungry, the naked, the homeless must exist as if they were not persons, were not our brothers and sisters.... But we are all one and the same flesh! We have the same origin and the same destiny! Christ has loved all of us and identified with all of us!"

"Let us not be discouraged even when the horizon of history appears dark and closed off, as if human realities made it impossible for God's plans to be accomplished. God can make use of human mistakes, even of people's sins, to overcome the darkness."

"Let us not tire of preaching love; it is the force that will overcome the world. Let us not tire of preaching love. Though we see that waves of violence succeed in drowning the fire of Christian love, love must win out; it is the only thing that can."