On Friday, August 15, 2014, the St. Egidio Community of
Rome will lead a prayer service at the Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber
Island—a shrine to the Church’s modern martyrs—to show solidarity with the persecuted
Christians of Iraq and the Middle East. That same day
will mark the 97th anniversary of the birth of the martyred Archbishop Oscar A.
Romero of El Salvador, whose prayer book is kept as a relic at the church. This year, Romero’s birthday comes amid a
renewed climate of Christian persecution and its commemoration provides a
solemn occasion for solidarity, prayer, and prophetic denunciation of those
unjust situations.
Here are
three points for reflection and prayer:
First, the
life and example of Oscar Romero becomes a vivid point of reference, which
shows that persecution and martyrdom continue to be relevant for the Church. Before he became himself a victim of church
persecution, Romero was a valiant voice of denunciation of the policies of
repression that targeted his Church. “Persecution is a reality that is necessary
for the Church,” he declared. “You know why? Because the truth is
persecuted. Jesus told his disciples: if they persecuted me, they will also
persecute you (John 15:20).” (May
29, 1977 Hom.) He recalled Pope Leo XIII’s
corollary to the well-known “Four Marks of the Church”— One, Holy, Catholic,
and Apostolic—“I would add another:
persecuted.” (Ibid.) “A Church that does not suffer persecution is
not the true church of Jesus Christ,” Romero declared (Mar. 11, 1979 Hom.) “Thanks
to God,” Romero said, “we are not
only aware of the stories of the martyrs of past ages but we are also conscious
of the martyrs of our own time.”
(Apr. 14, 1979 Hom.) For example,
“Cardinal Woytila reminds us of the times
of the catacombs and the times of the [Roman] circus,” Romero said: “the
times of the martyrs.” (Oct. 29,
1978 Hom.) And Romero always joined in
solidarity when the Popes of his time called for prayers for the conflict in
the Holy Land and the region.
Second, we
are living a moment that calls for prayer and solidarity. On Friday, August 15, the Italian Church is
holding its Day of Prayer for persecuted Christians. On Saturday the 16th, Pope Francis will
beatify 124 martyrs in Korea, an occasion which will surely remind the world of
the urgent situation for Christians in the Middle East and in other conflict
areas. Sunday the 17th is the day the
U.S. bishops have called for prayers for the “Nazari” persecutions (of Christians)
in Iraq. Filipino Catholics have been
urged to set aside Aug. 18, Monday, as a day of prayer for peace in Iraq. In sum, if the theme of the times proves the
relevancy of Archbishop Romero, we can also say that the memory of Romero must
be considered in a key of solidarity and prayer, which helps the reflection
recover the fullness of its meaning and importance.
Finally, we
can also couple our reflection with profound contemplation of the Feast of the
Assumption, and the figure of a Mother of Christ who ascends to heaven at the
dawn of that first Age of Martyrs.
However, that ascension was by no means an alienation: the Mother of God
does not abandon the Church at the onset of that tribulation. Instead, Mary becomes a guiding light from on
high, a torch that provides a perspective of Transcendence, and thus can give a
new impulse and inspiration for the faithful.
In the words of Oscar Romero, “Beyond
the night, dawn already glows and we carry in our heart a hope that never
fails. Christ is with us. We are not afraid!”
Have a
blessed Feast of the Assumption, which marks the 97th anniversary of the birth
of Oscar Romero. Let us ask for his intercession on behalf of our Christian
brothers and sisters who suffer persecution today.
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