This week, the Church in El Salvador has unveiled a new
image of the Divine Savior of the World during the celebration of its patronal feast (photo). The Feast of the Transfiguration is also the national
feast day in El Salvador. The name “El
Salvador” means “The Savior” and is derived from this celebration: this gave Oscar A. Romero, the
martyred archbishop of San Salvador, grounds to center his pastoral teaching on
this Gospel story.
On the Feast of the
Transfiguration … Romero took time to remember with his people the place of
Salvadoran history within God’s time, salvation history. He released three of
his four pastoral letters on that date, carefully situating the signs of the
times, both ecclesial and societal, against the larger horizon of
eschatological hope. Preaching on the
synoptic narratives of the Transfiguration every sixth day of August and every
second Sunday of Lent, Romero gradually crafted a theology of transfiguration.
(Pfeil.)
“It seems to me that never before has the nation been more beautiful
than today when she is bathed in the light of the sun of the Transfigured One,”
Romero said on August 6, 1978, after recasting the history of El Salvador in
reference to this feast. In fact, Romero’s
tendency to see the history of El Salvador under this light, is what keeps Romero
from being a rebel theologian. Accordingly, we say that Romero follows a TransfigurationTheology. Romero himself tells us as much. “The
Theology of the Transfiguration is telling us that the path of redemption must
first pass through the Cross and Calvary,” says Romero, making it clear
that the cross is his only path to Liberation. Christ invites his followers—including
nations—Romero teaches, to be transfigured, and to be raised from sin and
material desire to the dignity of being children of God, and to work for a more
just world, which turns out to be only the prelude to heavenly salvation: “Jesus, on the heights of Tabor, is the
wonderful image of liberation”.Previously in this Blog:
Transfiguration Index
Romero’s Transfiguration Theology (Spanish)
Romero’s Final Transfiguration Sermon (2011 reflection—Spanish)
Romero’s Final Transfiguration Sermon (2012 reflection)
Romero’s Final Transfiguration Sermon (2013 reflection—Spanish)
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