At a time when other preachers advised Christians to accept social injustice and "offer up" their suffering from ongoing abuses of power, Oscar Romero encouraged workers to participate in acts of nonviolent resistance. Here are English translations of some of the sermons--far from inflammatory stuff, you might say--that got him shot to death while he was serving Mass.

Recommended to all Christians and all activists. ( )

This book is such a fantastic collection of St Oscar Romero's radio addresses. They are more than inspiring, as they are exhortations to the highest things in life as found in Christ. Naturally, and sadly, such a radical message amidst a great oppressive society could not stand his peaceable message, and so he was martyred while giving mass. The editor's introduction is very helpful here in narrating St Romero's life. Highly recommended reading. ( )

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:

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. ( )

The juxtaposition of diary entries and homilies originally aired as radio broadcasts make for a compelling read and insight into the mind and heart of this modern saint.

The Scandal of Redemption
When God Liberates the Poor, Saves Sinners, and Heals Nations
Oscar Romero

“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?” (from the book)

It is a good read in the fact that it inspires hope-it inspires you to do more. He challenges us to be the Gospel. Oscar Romero was a living saint that gave hope to the poor of El Salvador. His death was embraced and he forgave those who murdered him. He embraced his death. He embraced his faith to the very end. He would rather die than not be true to his faith to his God and to himself. He is a wonderful testament to a true Catholic Hero and someone who is not afraid to speak out against poverty and social injustice. He chose love not hate-even to the people who hated him and murdered him. I have passed this book along to a confirmation student that chose Oscar Romero as his saint name. We can all learn from Oscar Romero-Catholic or non-Catholic. ( )