“Which one of us”—asked Pope
Francis during his October 30, 2013 General Audience—“has not felt insecurities, losses and even
doubts in the journey of faith?” We
all have experienced them, however we should not be frightened, but trust in
God and the intercession of the saints to overcome them, said the Holy Father. When Archbishop Óscar A. Romero marked his
first All Saints Day as archbishop, he returned to El Paisnal, where his friend Fr. Rutilio Grande, martyred at the beginning of that first year of his archbishopric, was
buried. Romero recalled the Jesuit and his two peasant travel companions killed
alongside him. “They have completed their
work here on earth and they are now united with this multitude of saints in Heaven
where we are able to contemplate them,” Romero said, “on this feast of All Saints Day. For they are united with the great
multitude of persons who have survived the time of great tribulation …
proclaimed in today’s Gospel.” (November 1, 1977 Homily.)
Lovingly, Romero recalled the other precious victims of his
Church (as of that time): “I want to
remember here our beloved brother, Father Alfonso Navarro, and our dear
catechists—it is impossible to name all of them—but we remember, for example,
Miguel Martinez and Filomena Puertas and so many other women and men who have
ministered and died. At the time of their suffering and painful agony, when
they were flogged and tortured and riddled with bullets, when they offered
their lives in sacrifice, then were they received in Heaven.” (Id.) Referring
to all of them, Romero asked, “Who has
conquered? In the words of Scripture, we can ask our martyrs in heaven and
those who killed them and continue to persecute the Christians: Where, O death,
is your victory? The victory is in
faith. Those who have been killed for the cause of justice are victorious.”
(Id.) A word that would apply today to the Bishop who uttered them.
Archbishop Romero was spiritually nourished by the “multitude of saints in Heaven” not only on
All Saints Day, but throughout the liturgical year. Romero not only alluded to
the saints collectively, but he pointed out the specific virtues of the saints of
popular Catholicism. A few examples:
Saint
Joseph:
As we all know Saint Joseph
has a unique relationship with [Jesus and Mary]. For Mary, Saint Joseph was her
husband. Those of you who have the dignity of being a husband, reflect on what
it means to be the husband in a home, the father of a family. This is Saint
Joseph’s role not only for the Holy Family but for the family that has grown
into the great family of God. (12/19/1977 Hom.)
God needs women and men to
be instruments like Saint Joseph and the angels who collaborated with God in
the development of his plans of love and salvation and hope on earth. Blessed
are those Christians who know how to sanctify their lives with the gospel and
who, like Saint Joseph, become instruments of God’s salvation. (12/28/1977 Hom.)
St.
Francis of Assisi:
Between the readings, the
choir from Tejutla sang the beautiful hymn of Saint Francis of Assisi: praise to you, Lord, and may you be adored.
For that man, Saint Francis of Assisi, a poor man, called all creatures to
praise you. (10/1/1978 Hom.)
St.
Martin of Porres:
On November 3rd, I was happy
to celebrate the feast of Saint Martin de Porres in Quezaltepeque. Many boys
and girls dressed like Saint Martin and carried brooms that represented the
call and the message of this saint. Privileged people and people in lofty positions
do not attract God’s blessing in the same way as humble people who, like Saint
Martin, know how to make their broom and their daily chores (whether small or
great) instruments of their sanctification. The destiny of humankind is not to
obtain large a amount of money or power but to fulfill the will of God. This is
the message that we communicated to the people of Quezaltepeque on this feast
of Saint Martin. (11/6/1977 Hom.)
St.
Teresa of the Child Jesus:
Remember that the saint of
the missions is Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus, a contemplative sister, who
never left her cloister in Lisieux, France. Yet here is the secret of the
missionary: from the cloister, the home, the store, the marketplace—from
whatever profession, like Saint Theresa, offer all your sorrows and sacrifices
for the missions. When the poor, tired woman, suffering from tuberculosis,
walked in the patio of the convent and became tired, she rested on an
earthenware flower pot and said: I offer
my weariness to the Lord for the missionary who at this moment is walking
through unknown lands. My sisters and brothers, how beautiful it is to be a
missionary ... (8/21/1977 Hom.)
St.
Anthony:
In Soyapango we celebrated
the feast of Saint Anthony and applied the message of this saint of the Middle
Ages to the present day situation. This was a saint who because of his studies
knew how to speak difficult truths in his time. (6/17/1979 Hom.)
This does not take into account the countless times that
Archbishop Romero spoke of the Blessed Virgin, Saint Paul, his numerous quotations of St. Augustine, and other theological and evangelical references in
his preaching. In the case of the Mother of God, Archbishop Romero summarized
all of his remarks when he said, “The
history of Latin America cannot be understood without including devotion to the
Virgin.” (12/9/1979 Hom.) [MORE.]
Putting his faith in all the saints, Romero prayed, “Let us not be afraid! Let us follow these
roads that will lead us to the celebration of All Souls Day! Let us pray for
one another so that we might also live with the saints in heaven and
participate in the glory of the risen Christ!” (11/1/1977 Hom., supra.)
