"We have never preached violence, except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work."November 27, 1977 -Oscar Romero
This quote hits me hard. As a self proclaimed pacifist I have come to rejoice over reading Romero's words. He speaks with a humility and passion that convicts but never condemns, that moves the reader into being angry over injustice but still loving those that commit such atrocities. I am amazed as time and time again he says that he loves the assassins, the murderers, the politicians that hire them. His words encourage me and push me to think more deeply about the way my theology actually impacts my life. I know that this world is broken, that things are seriously messed up, but Romero stands as a loud reminder that there is hope for a future, and that only Christ is that hope. His constant calls to love push me out of my comfort zone and force me to step out of where I have been in order to get a better view of Christ's kingdom at work.
"What I want to say here in the cathedral pulpit is what the church is, and in the name of the church I want to support what is good, to applaud it, encourage it, console the victims of atrocities, of injustices, and also with courage disclose the atrocities, the tortures, the disappearences of prisoners, the social injustice. This is not engaging in politics; this is building up the church and carrying out the church's duty as imposed by the church's identity. My conscience is undisturbed, and I call on you; Let us build up the true church!" September 10, 1978.
Romero's words help me to see that the church should stand as a reminder of heaven that awaits, that it's walls should scream of redemption, or liberation, or freedom. That if the church is not taking steps to bring this about it has lost it's way. We must make this part of our DNA. We have to be about redemption and love if we are to make any sort of impact in this world. Romero constantly pushes me to see the movement of God in this world. He speaks of this movement in ways that make it undeniable and then says to me, "Here, continue this movement that Christ has started that we have joined in on, let the freedom ring out in your town as it has in mine."
"When Christ appeared in those lands, curing the sick, raising the dead, preaching to the poor, bringing hope to the peoples, something began on earth like when a stone is cast into a quiet lake and starts ripples that finally reach the farthest shores. Christ appeared in Zebulun and Naphtali, with signs of liberation; shaking off oppresive yokes, bringing joy to hearts, sowing hope. And this is what God is doing now in history" January 22, 1978
I think the task falls on our generation to take this movement of Christ that started 2000 years ago and take down the dams that block the ripples in outr communities. I think we need to idenitify the dams and destroy them with God's love and redemption. Transform them into a deep pool that allows the ripples to continue. Any thoughts on what the dams are or how to remove em?
