I am here

Oscar Romero - "Love must win out."

On 24th March, 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero, of El Salvador, was shot dead while saying mass.  Why would anybody do such a thing?  

Romero was the archbishop of a deeply Catholic country in Central America, at a time when it was divided by a particularly ruthless, civil war.  As a bishop, he was seeing a misguided elite, which wanted full power in order to hold onto wealth, and so murdering innocent citizens, even their priests.  As a bishop, he could not stand idly by and watch.  This motivated him to speak out, to become the voice for a suffering people, earning himself the title of "voice of the voiceless" and the ire of a dangerous elite.  

As the voice for an oppressed and suffering people, he was affirming not simply their right to exist.  Much more, he was affirming their God given right to live life with dignity.  That is frightening for an exclusive class wanting to take full and sole advantage of the world's riches.  However, their way is not the way of a loving and creating God who desires that the fruits of his creation be enjoyed and shared by all, willing that every man and woman be co-creators together.    

When facing such a reality, taking repentance and conversion, two key Lenten themes, seriously has frightening consequences.   Then, we cannot limit these actions' possibilities for renewing and reaffirming each human person and all humanity before God.  We will be called to go beyond the simplistic, even if rightful, approach of focusing on petty, personal sin.  Thus we will assume a wider vision that no longer takes life and humanity for granted.  Thus we will affirm and renew the covenant God has made with all people. Thus we will look at what really matters in life and why truly all of us are here together.  

This will take us to the roots of who we are, to a spirituality common to all humanity, thus moving us beyond ourselves to a revolutionary stance.  Revolutionary, because it necessitates our affirming who we are in radical ways, thus involving us in renewing the human project. 

Here, the great affirmation of Ceilie, the central character in The Color Purple, a novel set in early 20th century, southern USA. rings true.  She proudly proclaimed: "I may be black, I may be a woman, I may be poor, I may be ugly, but I AM HERE."  

We are all here. Amen.