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The Scandal of Redemption: When God Liberates the Poor, Saves Sinners, and Heals Nations
To find out why Pope Francis is making Oscar Romero a saint, read the words that cost him his life. ”A church that does not provoke crisis, a gospel that does not disturb, a word of God that does not touch the concrete sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed – what kind of gospel is that?” Three short years transformed El Salvador’s Archbishop Oscar Romero from a defender of the status quo into one of the most outspoken voices of the oppressed. An assassin’s bullet ended his life, but his message lives on. In March 2018 Pope Francis announced that the Catholic Church would canonize Oscar Romero, acknowledging that he is indeed a saint who was martyred for proclaiming the gospel, and that the political and social implications of that message, which so scandalized the powerful, flowed directly from Romero’s faithfulness to the teachings of Jesus. These selections from Romero’s diaries and radio broadcasts invite each of us to align our own lives with the way of Jesus that lifts up the poor, welcomes the broken, wins over enemies, and transforms the history of entire nations.
139 pages, Paperback
Published March 24, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
April 5, 2018
This slender book is powerful beyond its size, just as Oscar Romero, soon to be sainted, was powerful beyond his size. It is a collection of Romero's radio broadcasts and diaries.
As Romero writes, "...a saint is nothing else than the full realization of a life according to the design of God." Romero reached his own realization by preaching a gospel of peace, of justice in a society (El Salvador) that rejected him and his words, the words of Christ. He preached a gospel that would not just console but also discomfort, push people to examine their lives and the world around them and see if they were living in the true light of Christ or in their own selfishness.
At the same time as he spoke out for justice for the poor, he also rejected the more violent forms of liberation that some preached. Romero deeply believed in the God of peace and in transformation through love. He thought that the church was the community of people united in love and justice and that that peace could not be achieved by violence.
Oscar Romero is a hero of mine. I ask myself, could I speak out as he did, knowing I would probably be killed. Romero knew that was a likelihood and was assassinated on the altar during mass. I don't know if I could ever show that much courage but he did not start out that way. He began as a friend to the rich who became radicalized when he became archbishop and became alive to the suffering of the poor and witnessed many priests murdered for their alliance with the poor.
Romero's words are inspirational, especially for Catholics and other Christians who are open to examining their own hearts in the light of Christ's words. Are they--we--ready to be challenged to living a life that is love-based, not fearful or lusting after wealth or power?
This is a book that should be read slowly and meditated upon. It is amazing that words of love could evoke enough rage to commit murder against the speaker. They are words that speak to the peaceful fight for justice and love, both as a society and as an individual. They call out to change the world and our own hearts.
As Romero writes, "...a saint is nothing else than the full realization of a life according to the design of God." Romero reached his own realization by preaching a gospel of peace, of justice in a society (El Salvador) that rejected him and his words, the words of Christ. He preached a gospel that would not just console but also discomfort, push people to examine their lives and the world around them and see if they were living in the true light of Christ or in their own selfishness.
At the same time as he spoke out for justice for the poor, he also rejected the more violent forms of liberation that some preached. Romero deeply believed in the God of peace and in transformation through love. He thought that the church was the community of people united in love and justice and that that peace could not be achieved by violence.
Oscar Romero is a hero of mine. I ask myself, could I speak out as he did, knowing I would probably be killed. Romero knew that was a likelihood and was assassinated on the altar during mass. I don't know if I could ever show that much courage but he did not start out that way. He began as a friend to the rich who became radicalized when he became archbishop and became alive to the suffering of the poor and witnessed many priests murdered for their alliance with the poor.
Romero's words are inspirational, especially for Catholics and other Christians who are open to examining their own hearts in the light of Christ's words. Are they--we--ready to be challenged to living a life that is love-based, not fearful or lusting after wealth or power?
This is a book that should be read slowly and meditated upon. It is amazing that words of love could evoke enough rage to commit murder against the speaker. They are words that speak to the peaceful fight for justice and love, both as a society and as an individual. They call out to change the world and our own hearts.
April 3, 2018
a short and gorgeous introduction to the sermons of Oscar Romero. Breathtakingly beautiful and Christ-centered, these sermons are steeped in Romero's love for the poor and suffering in his own country. But even more powerful is his love and prayers for repentance and redemption for those in power who ultimately took his life and inadvertently amplified his message.
July 23, 2018
Summary: Diary entries and radio broadcast homilies by the martyred Archbishop of El Salvador, capturing both the injustices that moved him and the gospel message of hope he proclaimed to the oppressed people that eventuated in his death.
Oscar Romero became the Archbishop of El Salvador in 1977, considered a "safe" choice who wouldn't rile the oligarchs--until one of his priests, Rutillo Grande was shot down by a gunman connected to an alliance of government and oligarchs who controlled the wealth of the country. When Romero went to the church where Grande's body lay, he spent time both in prayer and listening to stories of violence and exploitation of the people. From then on, he insisted that the rulers of El Salvador, many formally believers, rule with justice. On that day, he said, "There can be no true peace or love that is based on injustice or violence or intrigue."
This work, with a brief introduction to Romero's life, collects nine of his homilies, broadcast over the radio, and a number of his diary entries. The diary entries recount the many visits and meetings in which he comforted survivors of killings, and worked with those seeking justice. The homilies apply gospel teaching to how the church must live, resorting neither to violence nor secular liberation movements, nor allying with the powers that be. The church is called not simply to pray and bear it, but to speak on behalf of the powerless, to forthrightly expose injustice, and to be willing to walk the way of the cross in confronting injustice.
What surprised me was to find how deeply grounded in the gospel Romero's appeal was. He taught,
For Christ does not suffer for his own faults; Christ made himself responsible for the sins of all of us. If you want to measure the gravity of your sins, simply look at Christ crucified...
His message is a call to continuing conversion:
Conversion means asking at every moment: what does God want of my life? If God wants the opposite of what I might fancy, then doing what God wants is conversion, and following my own desire is perversion.
While affirming the true liberating power of the gospel, he denies the power of secular liberation movements to free people:
By his resurrection Christ offers all the liberators of the earth this challenge: 'You will not free people! The only liberation that endures is that which breaks the chains on the human heart, the chains of sin and selfishness.'
He vigorously opposes any political captivity of the church:
"The Church is not on earth to gain privileges, to seek support in power and wealth, or to ingratiate herself with the mighty of the world."
The nine homilies in this collection cover the topics of "The Creator," "The Word Made Flesh," "Redemption," "The Call," "The Way," "The Church," "The Kingdom," "Liberation," and "All Things New." As I read these sermons and diary entries, they revealed a gospel that was not an opiate for those crying out "how long?" but a call to Christ-centered faith, to holiness in all of life, and a courageous refusal to allow authorities to cover oppression and violence and exploitation with a cloak of spiritual legitimacy. It makes me reflect on the sad state of political captivity of significant sectors of the American church while other brothers and sisters, as well as the creation itself, cry out "how long?" It challenges me as I read of the courage of the El Salvadoran priests and lay people who died violent deaths for what they stood.
The book closes with Romero at prayer at a funeral mass, on March 24, 1980, for one of the martyrs:
May this body that was immolated and this flesh that was sacrificed for humankind also nourish us so that we can give our bodies and our blood to suffering and pain, as Christ did, not for our own sake but to bring justice and peace to our people. Let us therefore join closely together in faith and hope at this moment of prayer for Doña Sarita and ourselves.
Moments later Romero lay dead at the foot of the cross, slain by a gunman, who fired at him in this moment of prayer.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Oscar Romero became the Archbishop of El Salvador in 1977, considered a "safe" choice who wouldn't rile the oligarchs--until one of his priests, Rutillo Grande was shot down by a gunman connected to an alliance of government and oligarchs who controlled the wealth of the country. When Romero went to the church where Grande's body lay, he spent time both in prayer and listening to stories of violence and exploitation of the people. From then on, he insisted that the rulers of El Salvador, many formally believers, rule with justice. On that day, he said, "There can be no true peace or love that is based on injustice or violence or intrigue."
This work, with a brief introduction to Romero's life, collects nine of his homilies, broadcast over the radio, and a number of his diary entries. The diary entries recount the many visits and meetings in which he comforted survivors of killings, and worked with those seeking justice. The homilies apply gospel teaching to how the church must live, resorting neither to violence nor secular liberation movements, nor allying with the powers that be. The church is called not simply to pray and bear it, but to speak on behalf of the powerless, to forthrightly expose injustice, and to be willing to walk the way of the cross in confronting injustice.
What surprised me was to find how deeply grounded in the gospel Romero's appeal was. He taught,
For Christ does not suffer for his own faults; Christ made himself responsible for the sins of all of us. If you want to measure the gravity of your sins, simply look at Christ crucified...
His message is a call to continuing conversion:
Conversion means asking at every moment: what does God want of my life? If God wants the opposite of what I might fancy, then doing what God wants is conversion, and following my own desire is perversion.
While affirming the true liberating power of the gospel, he denies the power of secular liberation movements to free people:
By his resurrection Christ offers all the liberators of the earth this challenge: 'You will not free people! The only liberation that endures is that which breaks the chains on the human heart, the chains of sin and selfishness.'
He vigorously opposes any political captivity of the church:
"The Church is not on earth to gain privileges, to seek support in power and wealth, or to ingratiate herself with the mighty of the world."
The nine homilies in this collection cover the topics of "The Creator," "The Word Made Flesh," "Redemption," "The Call," "The Way," "The Church," "The Kingdom," "Liberation," and "All Things New." As I read these sermons and diary entries, they revealed a gospel that was not an opiate for those crying out "how long?" but a call to Christ-centered faith, to holiness in all of life, and a courageous refusal to allow authorities to cover oppression and violence and exploitation with a cloak of spiritual legitimacy. It makes me reflect on the sad state of political captivity of significant sectors of the American church while other brothers and sisters, as well as the creation itself, cry out "how long?" It challenges me as I read of the courage of the El Salvadoran priests and lay people who died violent deaths for what they stood.
The book closes with Romero at prayer at a funeral mass, on March 24, 1980, for one of the martyrs:
May this body that was immolated and this flesh that was sacrificed for humankind also nourish us so that we can give our bodies and our blood to suffering and pain, as Christ did, not for our own sake but to bring justice and peace to our people. Let us therefore join closely together in faith and hope at this moment of prayer for Doña Sarita and ourselves.
Moments later Romero lay dead at the foot of the cross, slain by a gunman, who fired at him in this moment of prayer.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 8, 2022
An great piece by Romero that focuses on social injustice in El Salvador and how christians must fight it. If you’re interested in theology, catholicism, or christianity this book is great for you.
July 6, 2018
Blessed Archbishop Óscar Romero has often been lauded as an advocate and martyr for the oppressed, poor and otherwise downtrodden, an advocate for peace within a world of violence. This collection offers topical selections from the writings of Archbishop Romero, spanning from personal letters and journal entries to sermons and radio talks. It also includes a brief biography of the man, which provides great context for understanding the regional theological framework and local political climate he operated within.
For someone like me, who really has very little operational knowledge of the Archbishop this book served as a great introduction to his life and thought. He really provides significant pastoral insight into understanding better the social teaching of the Catholic Church and how it is applied into violent and oppressive circumstances. He also serves as an inspiring example of how one can change from a passive supporter of the status quo into a revolutionary advocate for the way of Christ in the face of violence and suppression. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming more familiar with Romero in his own words, or to those who have heard the name but know little about the actual individual.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
PUBLISHER NOTES: Step 6, Day 4 first sentence does not make sense (typo) (Loc 620); Fig 5.4 wrong image
For someone like me, who really has very little operational knowledge of the Archbishop this book served as a great introduction to his life and thought. He really provides significant pastoral insight into understanding better the social teaching of the Catholic Church and how it is applied into violent and oppressive circumstances. He also serves as an inspiring example of how one can change from a passive supporter of the status quo into a revolutionary advocate for the way of Christ in the face of violence and suppression. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in becoming more familiar with Romero in his own words, or to those who have heard the name but know little about the actual individual.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
PUBLISHER NOTES: Step 6, Day 4 first sentence does not make sense (typo) (Loc 620); Fig 5.4 wrong image
November 18, 2018
This slim volume gives readers an idea of the draw of this newly canonized saint to the people of El Salvador and ultimately, to people around the world. A short introduction on “Who Was Oscar Romero?” is followed by a selection of his sermons, radio broadcasts, and diary entries.
Initially, Romero wished to stay neutral in his opinions regarding the government corruption in El Salvador, but it came to a point where he could no longer stay silent. People were mesmerized by his sermons which spoke of a need for the government to care for the poor and the marginalized, as these were Christ’s people, and to not care for them was to not follow Christ. As Romero continued to criticize the government and preach of Christ’s love for the poor, his following grew among the people of El Salvador, thereby making him more dangerous to the government.
The juxtaposition of the diary entries with the radio broadcasts is effective, as you hear Romero’s voice grow more discontented as bombings and killings in El Salvador increase, and as his continuous calls for action on the part of the government go unanswered. The chapter on Liberation really brought it home for me, as Romero clarifies his views on liberation theology and how Christianity preaches “this liberating work of declaring all men and women equal in Christ Jesus.” He speaks of how people conflate the idea of liberation theology as closely connected to communism, and he refutes this view.
A true saint of the people, Romero’s views are finally being recognized as the reality of Christ’s redemption: “Liberation means that the exploitation of one human being by another no longer exists in the world. Liberation means redemption that seeks to free people from every form of slavery. Slavery is illiteracy; slavery is hunger, not having money to buy food; slavery is being homeless, not having a place to live.” Perhaps one day we will come to live this true glory, as he professed.
Initially, Romero wished to stay neutral in his opinions regarding the government corruption in El Salvador, but it came to a point where he could no longer stay silent. People were mesmerized by his sermons which spoke of a need for the government to care for the poor and the marginalized, as these were Christ’s people, and to not care for them was to not follow Christ. As Romero continued to criticize the government and preach of Christ’s love for the poor, his following grew among the people of El Salvador, thereby making him more dangerous to the government.
The juxtaposition of the diary entries with the radio broadcasts is effective, as you hear Romero’s voice grow more discontented as bombings and killings in El Salvador increase, and as his continuous calls for action on the part of the government go unanswered. The chapter on Liberation really brought it home for me, as Romero clarifies his views on liberation theology and how Christianity preaches “this liberating work of declaring all men and women equal in Christ Jesus.” He speaks of how people conflate the idea of liberation theology as closely connected to communism, and he refutes this view.
A true saint of the people, Romero’s views are finally being recognized as the reality of Christ’s redemption: “Liberation means that the exploitation of one human being by another no longer exists in the world. Liberation means redemption that seeks to free people from every form of slavery. Slavery is illiteracy; slavery is hunger, not having money to buy food; slavery is being homeless, not having a place to live.” Perhaps one day we will come to live this true glory, as he professed.
November 21, 2023
A solid 4/5 stars for this collection of diary entries and sermon extracts from Archbishop Romero that focus on his exercise of liberation theology in El Salvador between 1977 and 1980. He was eventually assassinated for preaching what was seen as a dangerous interpretation of Christianity. I was able to see how much of this theology is still needed today, especially in regards to Christians, and clergy in particular, not being afraid to speak out. The message of the Gospels should be dangerous. It should challenge the power structures of the day that oppress the weak. There are definitely parts of his theology that don’t jive with mine, specifically his thoughts about sin and atonement, but I am very glad to have read this collection. I hope I can live a life of faith as bravely as Romero did. I certainly feel empowered having spent this time with his writings.
October 5, 2018
This rich book of lived faith was my companion as Hurricane Florence bore down directly upon me. This is the third in a Plough Publishing House series I have read and reviewed, the others being words by Simone Weil and Dorothy Day. Weil sought identity with the poor while avoiding organized religion. Day brought her strong Catholicism to meet the poor and forgotten in a lifelong mission of identity and service. In Oscar Romero we have a formal representative of the Catholic Church-an Archbishop-whose time set him within the political upheaval and violence of El Salvador. His reaction to the murders of his people, priests and religious, seen in these pages in the courage of his words, led to his assassination and martyrdom. Indeed, he was shot to death at the altar, celebrating Mass for the deceased mother of a friend. His final words as the shot rang out close the pages of this powerful little book. But Government forces could not silence Romero. These pages show a man defining and seeking true Christian community in a nation at war with itself. He draws no boundaries as he seeks to include the powerful with the poor in a transformative and lived love of Jesus Christ. Even as an Archbishop, he sees good within those outside of the Catholic community. Most powerful for me were his words on pages 102-03. Recognizing the deep valley of despair inflicting country and people, Romero calls for a transcendent salvation, with the glory of Christ illuminating the darkness and leading to a transcendent redemption. Romero's hope for his people is magnified by the death he has witnessed, the priests' funerals at which he has presided and the knowledge that his own death is a growing possibility...even certainty. This is a book of hope, and one does not have to be Salvadoran to appreciate its universal beauty. It has been a hard time to be a Catholic these recent months; the courage and witness of Oscar Romero restores our faith in the Church, not a place of power and buildings but as a people of faith and community. This is a book for all people.
January 9, 2024
What an amazing book with which to start the year! St. Romero’s wisdom is strikingly relevant in 2024… albeit in an a different particular context.
The human condition with the desire for power remain.
The human condition with the desire for power remain.
November 15, 2017
[Note: This book was given free of charge by Net Gallery/Plough Publishing House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.]
Sometimes books, like other creations (this happens a lot especially in songs and movies) suffer because of a problem of framing. One may find a great deal that is praiseworthy in content that is presented, but one finds the framing of that content to be troublesome, and one hesitates to praise the content because the person who wrote this book is being co-opted for an unacceptable political approach that he himself rejected. Such is the case with this book. Insofar as my comments about this book are complementary, they are about the writing of the ostensible author of the book, an archbishop who was assassinated in 1980 during the midst of a brutal civil war in El Salvador by the military and government authorities who he criticized for their injustice. That said, this book is framed in the context of liberation theology, a theology similar to the contemporary social gospel of my own nation that I particularly abhor [1]. I think the archbishop was right to reject the narrowly focused and Communist-influenced liberation gospel that was being peddled by the radicals of his time and remains on offer today, even as he spoke the truth to corrupt and brutal authorities who ended his own life far too soon with an assassin's bullet.
This book consists of excerpts from the diary and homilies of Oscar Romero between 1977, when he became Archbishop of San Salvador and showed that rather than a "safe" candidate he was one willing to speak out against the evils the elites of the country were committing, and his death in 1980. These materials are divided into nine chapters: The Creator, The Word Made Flesh, Redemption, The Call, The Way, The Church, The Kingdom, Liberation, and All Things Made New. In these contents the author shows himself to be directly critical of both the left-wing and right-wing polarization that was present in El Salvador as well as the Roman Catholic Church at the time and that remains present in decadent cultures and societies like our own. Despite my disagreement with the author's views on soteriology, as he seems to provide a picture of good works leading to redemption rather than from the outward working out of a salvation by grace, there is much to appreciate here. The author is certainly on sound ground in speaking up on behalf of the vulnerable and those who have no voice and in favor of justice, even if his brave and principled stance cost him his life, as it did so many others in his tiny and troubled nation.
Even so, it is one thing to celebrate that Romero's words have lived on long beyond his own tragic and violent death and another thing to celebrate the purposes to which his life and message have been turned. The foreword to this book is written by someone whose hands were blown off in a bomb attack by a political opponent and who openly claimed to be part of the Liberation movement and politically involved against apartheid in South Africa. As a reviewer who has no particular interest in supporting either left-wing revolutionary politics or right-wing reactionary regimes, I find the framing of this book intensely off-putting and offensive as it presents a false dilemma between those two views, which I find equally abhorrent. Thankfully, after a lengthy foreword and an introduction of who Romero was, as some of the readers of this book may not know, about 100 or so of this book's 140 pages are devoted to the writings of Romero himself, avoiding the specific references to most of the violent acts that would be unfamiliar to the readers of the book while focusing on the author's religious beliefs and their implications for the El Salvador of his time. There is much here that will encourage those who seek justice, even if they have no particular fondness for contemporary social justice warriors and other left-wing activists.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
Sometimes books, like other creations (this happens a lot especially in songs and movies) suffer because of a problem of framing. One may find a great deal that is praiseworthy in content that is presented, but one finds the framing of that content to be troublesome, and one hesitates to praise the content because the person who wrote this book is being co-opted for an unacceptable political approach that he himself rejected. Such is the case with this book. Insofar as my comments about this book are complementary, they are about the writing of the ostensible author of the book, an archbishop who was assassinated in 1980 during the midst of a brutal civil war in El Salvador by the military and government authorities who he criticized for their injustice. That said, this book is framed in the context of liberation theology, a theology similar to the contemporary social gospel of my own nation that I particularly abhor [1]. I think the archbishop was right to reject the narrowly focused and Communist-influenced liberation gospel that was being peddled by the radicals of his time and remains on offer today, even as he spoke the truth to corrupt and brutal authorities who ended his own life far too soon with an assassin's bullet.
This book consists of excerpts from the diary and homilies of Oscar Romero between 1977, when he became Archbishop of San Salvador and showed that rather than a "safe" candidate he was one willing to speak out against the evils the elites of the country were committing, and his death in 1980. These materials are divided into nine chapters: The Creator, The Word Made Flesh, Redemption, The Call, The Way, The Church, The Kingdom, Liberation, and All Things Made New. In these contents the author shows himself to be directly critical of both the left-wing and right-wing polarization that was present in El Salvador as well as the Roman Catholic Church at the time and that remains present in decadent cultures and societies like our own. Despite my disagreement with the author's views on soteriology, as he seems to provide a picture of good works leading to redemption rather than from the outward working out of a salvation by grace, there is much to appreciate here. The author is certainly on sound ground in speaking up on behalf of the vulnerable and those who have no voice and in favor of justice, even if his brave and principled stance cost him his life, as it did so many others in his tiny and troubled nation.
Even so, it is one thing to celebrate that Romero's words have lived on long beyond his own tragic and violent death and another thing to celebrate the purposes to which his life and message have been turned. The foreword to this book is written by someone whose hands were blown off in a bomb attack by a political opponent and who openly claimed to be part of the Liberation movement and politically involved against apartheid in South Africa. As a reviewer who has no particular interest in supporting either left-wing revolutionary politics or right-wing reactionary regimes, I find the framing of this book intensely off-putting and offensive as it presents a false dilemma between those two views, which I find equally abhorrent. Thankfully, after a lengthy foreword and an introduction of who Romero was, as some of the readers of this book may not know, about 100 or so of this book's 140 pages are devoted to the writings of Romero himself, avoiding the specific references to most of the violent acts that would be unfamiliar to the readers of the book while focusing on the author's religious beliefs and their implications for the El Salvador of his time. There is much here that will encourage those who seek justice, even if they have no particular fondness for contemporary social justice warriors and other left-wing activists.
[1] See, for example:
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
https://edgeinducedcohesion.blog/2017...
June 9, 2020
From the first time I heard of Oscar Romero, he became a hero of mine. The Catholic Archbishop of El Salvador stood up to the powers of corrupt government and violent rebels and preached the radical Gospel of non-violence and enemy love. He was assassinated on March 24, 1980 while celebrating the Eucharist.
Here are some of his last words:
He knew exactly what he was doing and what would result from his choices.
This books offers a great introduction to Romero. It begins with a short biography and is followed by 9 chapters. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from his journal with details of some of the happenings and violence that impacted him and the Salvadorian people.
Here are the chapter titles:
1. The Creator
2. The Word Made Flesh
3. Redemption
4. The Call
5. The Way
6. The Church
7. The Kingdom
8. Liberation
9. All Things New
What the editor (and writer of the biography) did, and I didn't realize until I finished the book was that each chapter is a variety of selections from Romero's homilies chosen around the themes. All of the excerpts come from homilies spoken from 1977 until his death in 1980.
Here are a few of my favorite lines:
In addressing "those... responsible for so many injustices and so much violence, those who have caused weeping in so many homes, those who are stained with the blood of so many murders.... To all of them I say, 'Your crimes do not matter. They are ugly and horrible. You have violated the highest dignity of the human person. But God calls you and forgives you.'" This is why redemption is a scandal.
Conversion means asking at every moment: what does God want of my life?
This is what the church wants: to disturb people's consciences and to provoke a crisis in their lives. A church that does not provoke crisis, a gospel that does not disturb, a word of God that does not rankle, a word of God that does not touch the concrete sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed - what kind of gospel is that?
Since carrying out this mission cost Christ humiliation and the cross, the church also must be ready if necessary to suffer martyrdom, the cross, humiliation and persecution, as Christ did.
God wants to save us as a people. He does not want to save each of us in isolation.... What does it mean to be a people? A people is a community of persons in which everyone works together for the common good.
This is what the church is doing on earth: creating community.
The degree to which we approach the poor and how we approach the - whether with love or with scorn - determines how we approach God. What we do to the poor, we do also to God. The way we look at them is the way we look at God. God has so desired to be identified with them that the merits of each one of us and of our society will be measured by the way we treat the needy and the poor.
And finally - one of lines he spoke just before being assassinated: "We must not love our lives so much that we avoid taking the risks in life that history calls for."
Romero was a great man, worth listening to and learning from.
Here are some of his last words:
May this body that was immolated and this flesh that was sacrificed for humankind also nourish us so that we can give our bodies and our blood to suffering and pain, as Christ did, not for our own sake but to bring justice and peace to our people.
He knew exactly what he was doing and what would result from his choices.
This books offers a great introduction to Romero. It begins with a short biography and is followed by 9 chapters. Each chapter begins with an excerpt from his journal with details of some of the happenings and violence that impacted him and the Salvadorian people.
Here are the chapter titles:
1. The Creator
2. The Word Made Flesh
3. Redemption
4. The Call
5. The Way
6. The Church
7. The Kingdom
8. Liberation
9. All Things New
What the editor (and writer of the biography) did, and I didn't realize until I finished the book was that each chapter is a variety of selections from Romero's homilies chosen around the themes. All of the excerpts come from homilies spoken from 1977 until his death in 1980.
Here are a few of my favorite lines:
In addressing "those... responsible for so many injustices and so much violence, those who have caused weeping in so many homes, those who are stained with the blood of so many murders.... To all of them I say, 'Your crimes do not matter. They are ugly and horrible. You have violated the highest dignity of the human person. But God calls you and forgives you.'" This is why redemption is a scandal.
Conversion means asking at every moment: what does God want of my life?
This is what the church wants: to disturb people's consciences and to provoke a crisis in their lives. A church that does not provoke crisis, a gospel that does not disturb, a word of God that does not rankle, a word of God that does not touch the concrete sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed - what kind of gospel is that?
Since carrying out this mission cost Christ humiliation and the cross, the church also must be ready if necessary to suffer martyrdom, the cross, humiliation and persecution, as Christ did.
God wants to save us as a people. He does not want to save each of us in isolation.... What does it mean to be a people? A people is a community of persons in which everyone works together for the common good.
This is what the church is doing on earth: creating community.
The degree to which we approach the poor and how we approach the - whether with love or with scorn - determines how we approach God. What we do to the poor, we do also to God. The way we look at them is the way we look at God. God has so desired to be identified with them that the merits of each one of us and of our society will be measured by the way we treat the needy and the poor.
And finally - one of lines he spoke just before being assassinated: "We must not love our lives so much that we avoid taking the risks in life that history calls for."
Romero was a great man, worth listening to and learning from.
April 11, 2022
My Lenten reading this year was a collection of writings by the archbishop of San Salvador in the late 1970s who was shot to death in a political hit during a service. I do not think a reader has to become an expert in the national and international politics of this time, though it does help to understand the context of the social ills and attitudes making up the topics of the sermons and diary entries collected in this volume. In a similar way, having some knowledge of the teachings of the Catholic Church would help remove some of the mystery surrounding the theological topics he mentions. Óscar Romero had aligned himself with the opposition to the authoritarian regime which gained power during a coup in 1979 even though he had been quite conservative in his personal views, identifying with the oppressed poor and their suffering. His initial motivation was his personal sense of being moved by the suffering of people he knew, not out of an abstract idea of what is just. Later it was the experience of people who rallied to his preaching which kept him from keeping silent no matter what this would mean for him.
The most striking thing about these pieces is how much courage it must have taken to see the assassinations of other Salvadoran priests, of regular citizens working on behalf of the opposition to the junta, and still speak out. To hear of times when Romero would celebrate Mass while hostile elements were present with curved knives drawn was to witness a prophet. He quoted the Bible repeatedly to criticize what the military officers and their death squads did in his country and to contrast that with the theology of liberation. To him, the search for freedom from violence was inseparable from faith, and this led inevitably to a call for action. He drew from the model of Jesus Christ who also preached against injustice during a time of violence and met death at the hands of an enemy in power.
This book took me all of Lent to finish, even though it is pretty short. I found this book even more powerful than the other book I read about a christian witness, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. It isn't light reading or something for a person in search of tranquility and comfort, but a worthy book for someone searching for a spirituality that will challenge them. Archbishop Romero rejects a kind of religion which only preserves the status quo and declines to call out sin when it is carried out by the ones in power. He also has nothing good to say about a religion concerned only with the afterlife. He died for doing this, but his death took on a meaning that spoke to people far beyond his church and his country. For this martyrdom Óscar Romero was canonized in 2018.
The most striking thing about these pieces is how much courage it must have taken to see the assassinations of other Salvadoran priests, of regular citizens working on behalf of the opposition to the junta, and still speak out. To hear of times when Romero would celebrate Mass while hostile elements were present with curved knives drawn was to witness a prophet. He quoted the Bible repeatedly to criticize what the military officers and their death squads did in his country and to contrast that with the theology of liberation. To him, the search for freedom from violence was inseparable from faith, and this led inevitably to a call for action. He drew from the model of Jesus Christ who also preached against injustice during a time of violence and met death at the hands of an enemy in power.
This book took me all of Lent to finish, even though it is pretty short. I found this book even more powerful than the other book I read about a christian witness, Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship. It isn't light reading or something for a person in search of tranquility and comfort, but a worthy book for someone searching for a spirituality that will challenge them. Archbishop Romero rejects a kind of religion which only preserves the status quo and declines to call out sin when it is carried out by the ones in power. He also has nothing good to say about a religion concerned only with the afterlife. He died for doing this, but his death took on a meaning that spoke to people far beyond his church and his country. For this martyrdom Óscar Romero was canonized in 2018.
Want to read
August 29, 2023From Journey with Jesus:
In memory of Oscar Romero (August 15, 1917–March 24, 1980)
(Canonized on October 14, 2018 by Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square)
A Future Not Our Own
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of
saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession
brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives include everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one
day will grow. We water the seeds already planted
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects
far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of
liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's
grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the
difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not
messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.
From Xavarian Missionaries:
Oscar A. Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, in El Salvador, was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass in a small chapel in a cancer hospital where he lived. He had always been close to his people, preached a prophetic gospel, denouncing the injustice in his country and supporting the development of popular and mass organizations. He became the voice of the Salvadoran people when all other channels of expression had been crushed by the repression.
This poem was composed by Bishop Ken Untener on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Óscar Romero on March 24, 1980. Romero was assassinated while celebrating the Mass at Hospital de la Divina Providencia, a church-run hospital specializing in cancer and care for the terminally ill. His funeral was attended by 250,000 mourners from around the world.
In memory of Oscar Romero (August 15, 1917–March 24, 1980)
(Canonized on October 14, 2018 by Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square)
A Future Not Our Own
It helps now and then to step back and take a long view.
The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God's work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is another way of
saying that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith. No confession
brings perfection, no pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church's mission.
No set of goals and objectives include everything.
This is what we are about. We plant the seeds that one
day will grow. We water the seeds already planted
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects
far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of
liberation in realizing this.
This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning,
a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord's
grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the
difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders, ministers, not
messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.
From Xavarian Missionaries:
Oscar A. Romero, Archbishop of San Salvador, in El Salvador, was assassinated on March 24, 1980, while celebrating Mass in a small chapel in a cancer hospital where he lived. He had always been close to his people, preached a prophetic gospel, denouncing the injustice in his country and supporting the development of popular and mass organizations. He became the voice of the Salvadoran people when all other channels of expression had been crushed by the repression.
This poem was composed by Bishop Ken Untener on the anniversary of the martyrdom of Bishop Óscar Romero on March 24, 1980. Romero was assassinated while celebrating the Mass at Hospital de la Divina Providencia, a church-run hospital specializing in cancer and care for the terminally ill. His funeral was attended by 250,000 mourners from around the world.
January 20, 2019
Romero was obviously an incredibly powerful figure and left behind a breathtaking legacy, so there was no doubt that this relatively short collection of sermons and journal entries would be worthwhile. For whatever reason, I didn't necessarily find myself enthralled with them, and it took longer than anticipated to finish reading. My guess is that his words would be more gripping if they were heard spoken aloud and in his original language (aka as they were initially delivered). Along those lines, parts of the reading experience felt a bit choppy, jumping from one idea to the next instead of slowly building and developing like a typical written delivery would. But please don't take that to mean I'm not grateful to have spent some time sitting with Romero's testimony and witness; it was an undeniable gift that I'd encourage others to pursue.
In particular, I was struck by his absolutely unflinching rootedness in what most would consider orthodoxy (he's certainly more orthodox than me! haha), especially given to the critiques against him for politicizing the Gospel. On the contrary, this is one of the most direct and straightforward readings of the Gospel and its implications that I've read, and I think the majority of folks who consider themselves conservative Christians would find themselves agreeing with everything here. It's also moving to see his miraculously persistent desire for repentance and redemption for his enemies, even as the hostility rises and the threats and realities of violence and terror are increasingly present in his own life and those of his people. Above all, I appreciated his clear exhortation to endorse and preach a Gospel that provokes crisis and disturbs the powers that be and upholders of the status quo, and dream of what the Church at large could be if that sat at its center as an extension of the love of Christ that compels it to want for radical redemption for all.
In particular, I was struck by his absolutely unflinching rootedness in what most would consider orthodoxy (he's certainly more orthodox than me! haha), especially given to the critiques against him for politicizing the Gospel. On the contrary, this is one of the most direct and straightforward readings of the Gospel and its implications that I've read, and I think the majority of folks who consider themselves conservative Christians would find themselves agreeing with everything here. It's also moving to see his miraculously persistent desire for repentance and redemption for his enemies, even as the hostility rises and the threats and realities of violence and terror are increasingly present in his own life and those of his people. Above all, I appreciated his clear exhortation to endorse and preach a Gospel that provokes crisis and disturbs the powers that be and upholders of the status quo, and dream of what the Church at large could be if that sat at its center as an extension of the love of Christ that compels it to want for radical redemption for all.
April 25, 2019
Like "The Violence of Love", this book is a compilation of Romero's sermons, although these appear to be complete homilies. In addition, the chapters are interspersed with notes from Romero's diary. If there is a narrative in this book, it is in Romero's diary excerpts. The homilies are the bulk of this book. Reading them and meditating on them will give you a deep understanding of Romero. Romero's life and words are a challenge to the status-quo of religiosity in the service of oligarchic rule and a corrupt government. It is also a challenge to one's personal, spiritual life, and how that plays out in the public square.
The "church" Romero speaks of, the communion of life, the church which forms a people, is alien to the concept of "church" in middle America. I read Romero's words, and I am saddened by the vast gulf, a great chasm, between the church Romero speaks of and the church we have today. In the end, I will have to take encouragement from some of Romero's last words:
"That kingdom of justice will come. That kingdom of peace will come. 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 people's sins, to overcome the darkness, as Isaiah said, so that one day the people will sing not only of the return from Babylon but of the complete liberation of human kind: 'The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwell in the land of gloom, a light has shone' (Isaiah 9:1)"
The "church" Romero speaks of, the communion of life, the church which forms a people, is alien to the concept of "church" in middle America. I read Romero's words, and I am saddened by the vast gulf, a great chasm, between the church Romero speaks of and the church we have today. In the end, I will have to take encouragement from some of Romero's last words:
"That kingdom of justice will come. That kingdom of peace will come. 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 people's sins, to overcome the darkness, as Isaiah said, so that one day the people will sing not only of the return from Babylon but of the complete liberation of human kind: 'The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwell in the land of gloom, a light has shone' (Isaiah 9:1)"
November 9, 2025
These books from Plough publishing are rich and quick - Hauerwas, Dorothy Day, and now, Romero. The book alternates between Romero’s diary entries and his sermons. The former were most interesting to me, but it’s inevitable to frame all of the writings thru the anticipation that this man will be assassinated in the very act of celebrating the Eucharist. The guy has a teensy bit of credibility.
I wish I had more background in the history of the El Salvadoran conflict. The politics of land distribution played a major role, and Romero’s actions were controversial enough that multiple priests filed a complaint with the Vatican. You realize yet again that what appears to be clear to us in the present (Romero was “right”) was never so clear in the past and for the historical actors. Decisions were made with inadequate knowledge and limited perspectives by fallible human beings, and such is the way of ALL history.
And I know the guy is up for sainthood, but when he’s confident that “the people” eagerly listened to his lengthening sermons of 2+ hours, I found myself smiling and wondering if he was curating his sample size a bit. U totally sure about that universal enthusiasm, bro?
I wish I had more background in the history of the El Salvadoran conflict. The politics of land distribution played a major role, and Romero’s actions were controversial enough that multiple priests filed a complaint with the Vatican. You realize yet again that what appears to be clear to us in the present (Romero was “right”) was never so clear in the past and for the historical actors. Decisions were made with inadequate knowledge and limited perspectives by fallible human beings, and such is the way of ALL history.
And I know the guy is up for sainthood, but when he’s confident that “the people” eagerly listened to his lengthening sermons of 2+ hours, I found myself smiling and wondering if he was curating his sample size a bit. U totally sure about that universal enthusiasm, bro?
March 27, 2020
When I was employed at Feed My Starving Children I had the opportunity to visit the nation of El Salvador for a week. As part of the trip we paid visits to the church where Romero preached and the his parsonage, which is now a museum in his honor. Our trip leader recommended this little book of Romero's sermons to us, and through its pages I was rocked by an encounter with the faith and courage of a true martyr. This book has become one of my favorites and I return to it often. He was a man of profound, personal, sincere faith in the finished work of Christ who refused to allow that faith to be limited to his own soul. He wrestled deeply with the social obligations of the gospel and challenged others to do so from his position of influence as a bishop in the Catholic Church. He steadfastly refused to adopt a social gospel; the core of his mission was the reconciliation of rich and poor through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. While some of his views could be interpreted as tending toward socialism, Romero did not ultimately trust in the power of the state, but in the transforming work of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
October 18, 2018
This books is a wonderful collection of Bishop Romero's writings, up to and including his final sermon before he was assassinated. In this short selection, we read Romero testifying to the connection between God's blessings and the land (hence the need for agrarian reform and bringing land ownership in line with the needs of the poor), between personal sin and social sin (reversing the usual assumption, Romero points out that it is easy to fault society, but difficult to take personal responsibility), between the call of God to every individual and the need to form, and be saved as, a community dedicated to the common good. It is powerful, tragic stuff, a wonderful Christian witness, one worth reading again and again.
September 6, 2018
I cannot even begin to discuss this book except to say, a lot of crying, a lot of raising my fists and a lot of shaking my head in shame for what others have done, especially from those who claim to know Christ. And also in reflection of where the church is now and how people are, I just feel like..man... Oscar Romero did what we, as the children of God, are supposed to do always til the day we die and what really are we doing? I just... read it if you are a believer or not and you will see what the love of God looks like lived out here on earth, what the gospel is and what glimpses of the Kingdom are. Maybe I'm being over the top but that's how I was impacted by his sermons, his life.
March 8, 2018
I was reading this book while listening to the BBC news in the background yesterday and was intrigued when I heard that the Vatican had declared that Oscar Romero would be canonized into a Saint.
This book provides insights on the man and his fight against an oppression, especially from a state and a people who expected him to stay silent and stick to his priestly duties. I was saddened upon reading about how he was assassinated and do hope that his legacy does live on. This was an eARC from NetGalley and I'm certain upon release, the formatting would be upgraded for a more seamless reading.
This book provides insights on the man and his fight against an oppression, especially from a state and a people who expected him to stay silent and stick to his priestly duties. I was saddened upon reading about how he was assassinated and do hope that his legacy does live on. This was an eARC from NetGalley and I'm certain upon release, the formatting would be upgraded for a more seamless reading.
August 28, 2018
Not really a biography, but a collection of themes from his sermons so expertly arranged that I thought it was one sermon until partway through, when I realized the footnotes in the back referenced the variou source sermons along with the dates. Since we know he was murdered March 24, 1980, we can read into these gems of insight, humility and love as he grows and is increasingly aware that he is next on the hit list. Nonetheless, none the less, he continues to preach and invite us all to a change of heart. What courage!
January 2, 2021
St Oscar Romero has nurtured my faith and my vocation for some time, and I wish I would have picked this up sooner! This short read is packed full of truth, reminding the Christian that we are all called to love and liberation. In a time when many are confused at what it means to be Christian, this collection of Romero's sermons is a light that points us to the greater light that is Christ; his words are spiritual food for the journey, granting us courage and a sense of community as we venture to love and serve together - with all the saints.
February 15, 2021
So much gold in this book! Romero’s insights on the suffering of Christ and the implications for the spiritual and physical liberation of all people are worth being headed by all Christians. While some aspects of Romero’s RC theology were incongruent with this Protestant pastor’s theology and praxis, I would nevertheless highly recommend this collection of sermons to my evangelical brothers. If you have benefited from the writings of Nouwen, you will benefit from Romero, whom Nouwen claims deeply benefited him.
March 20, 2022
Romero's sermons are so full of passion and wisdom. They draw my heart out to long more deeply for justice for all, and to take action on that longing. I especially love some of his advent reflections.
The main downside to this book as the handful of journal entries throughout. They are written in a font that is too difficult to read. This doesn't take away from the bulk of the book, though. They are worth reading if you want to take the time, but they can also be skipped without missing out on important information.
The main downside to this book as the handful of journal entries throughout. They are written in a font that is too difficult to read. This doesn't take away from the bulk of the book, though. They are worth reading if you want to take the time, but they can also be skipped without missing out on important information.
October 21, 2018
Five stars for Romero, two for the format of the book. I would like to read the full text of Romero's homilies and pastoral letters, from which these excerpts are taken. I have the feeling that the editor took out too many particulars in the effort to make Romero's words more universal, but in doing so divorced the statements from their arguments. In any case, a good introduction to Romero's thought.
December 12, 2018
I really encourage anyone who has heard of Oscar Romero to read his work - this is a great little collection. Prior to reading this, I had heard a lot about Romero, some good but most pretty negative. After reading these selections, I have a better grasp not only of what he preached, but of what he himself believed. Really great stuff - I’m inspired to see about finding recordings of some of his teaching to listen to a complete presentation!
September 23, 2018
I knew the story of Oscar Romero before reading this small book. But I had not read his words. This book pulls together excerpts from homilies as well as diary entries from the last 3 years of his life. The diary shows what a shepherd he was, with the “smell of the sheep” as Pope Francis suggests. The homilies show how rooted in the Gospel he was.
September 16, 2021
I found it really enlightening and moving. Just a short collection of sermons but he spoke so clearly about Christianity and being a Christian in practical terms and with unflinching directness. Full of hope and love and vision. So humbling and inspirational . I will maybe send you a copy Beth as I want to read it again!!
November 27, 2023
These are not inflammatory sermons. They are, however, the sermons Oscar Romero knew he was likely to be murdered for preaching. He preached them anyway, and he was murdered--shot to death during Mass. Basically he said that Christians should oppose abuse nonviolently, with good will toward all people.
Recommended to all Christians and all activists.
Recommended to all Christians and all activists.
March 4, 2018
(I received a free advance copy from Net Gallery in exchange for an honest review.)
An absolutely gorgeous collection of Oscar Romeo’s speeches. Lots of insightful and profound theology I absolutely enjoyed reading.
An absolutely gorgeous collection of Oscar Romeo’s speeches. Lots of insightful and profound theology I absolutely enjoyed reading.
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