Oscar Romero was an archbishop of San Salvador in 1980, at the time of his death. The night before his death, he celebrated mass that was broadcast on the radio. He was murdered the following day. These words were part of his homily.
“I would like to appeal in a special way to the men of the army, and in particular to the troops of the National Guard, the police, and the garrisons. Brothers, you belong to our own people. You kill your own brother peasants; and in the face of an order to kill that is given by a man, the law of God that says ‘Do not kill!’ should prevail.”
“No soldier is obliged to obey an order counter to the law of God. No one has to comply with an immoral law. It is the time now that you recover your conscience and obey its dictates rather than the command of sin.… Therefore, in the name of God, and in the name of this long-suffering people, whose laments rise to heaven every day more tumultuous, I beseech you, I beg you, I command you! In the name of God: ‘Cease the repression!’”
Here is also another one of his quotes.
”You cannot reap what you have not sown. How are we going to reap love in our community, if we only sow hate?”
And if we feel overwhelmed by violence, let us reflect on these words of Blessed Oscar Romero, giving us great hope.
”We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. 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.”
Blessed Oscar Arnulfo Romero, pray for us.