Today is March 24. A day of remembrance of the ministry and life of St. Oscar Romero. With all the vitriol and hate espoused today…the Church and it’s people are in need of accountability and transformation; especially for it’s leaders. Those, like St. Romero, who lived among and listened to the poor have found the true presence of Christ.
I, too, have been profoundly influenced by St. Romero; his life, writing, preaching, and solidarity with the poor. In 1985, as I knelt at his tomb, I received an inspiring, yet clear call to humbly serve.
I returned to El Salvador in 1995, 2002, 2005, and in 2012; with plans to go in 2025. So many different experiences in those mission trips – building homes with Habitat, an Equal Exchange Coffee delegation, study with Augsburg University, and displaced persons ministry with the Lutheran Church of El Salvador.
These experiences took place during the Salvadoran Civil War, afterwards, and now under Bukele’s rule. One truth stands alone – the influence and stature of St. Romero is ever-present and inspires us, with the same humility and courage, to stand firm in the battle for human rights everywhere. His words, reflect Christ, and are timeless because Christ is the same – yesterday, today, forever.
The following words from St. Romero are timely and speak truth to all of us living in a new era of authoritarian leaders who claim the title ‘Christian’:
Anyone who is chosen, for society’s need,
to be a cabinet member,
to be a president,
to be a archbishop –
to be a servant –
is the servant of God’s people.
That must not be forgotten.
The attitude to be taken in these offices is not
“I’m in charge here! What I want must be done.”
You are only a poor servant of God.
You must be at the Lord’s beck and call
to serve the people according to God’s will
and not according to your whim.
September 3, 1979
As we move forward in faith, these words beg us to act. Discerning God’s call in our lives to serve leads to reconciliation between wealth and privilege with the struggles of the poor.
Early on in my ministry, I spent time with a Base Christian Community in Mexico City. I was shocked and appalled at the living conditions in the barrio. After engaging with them in their journey, I was quickly humbled and corrected. They told me – ‘don’t be despondent, rather go home, tell our story, and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.’
That’s authentic grace. Perhaps on this day, we can rise up and tell our/their story which will likely lead to justice and peace.
gracexchange 