Fighting For JusticeSample

DAY 4 - HEROIC LEGACY 

The greatest heroes throughout history were never people who wished to be heroes. In the Bible, all the incredible women and men of God, likewise, never looked to God for their own selfish ambition, instead, they prayed to be in step with whatever He was doing, which in turn blessed them greatly and has been an example to all of us for ages. As seen in this clip, Romero began to grow weary and the burden was so much to carry yet still, he prayed for God to give him strength and show him the way. He wasn’t looking to leave a legacy or be a hero to his people, rather, he wanted to reflect Christ in the midst of such despair. 

In life, you will find that selflessness is an act that God greatly honors. It's certainly not the most glamorous of efforts but it's always the most impactful. 

Romero's fate would be sealed by a sniper bullet through the heart while performing a mass in El Salvador, March 24, 1980. His assassination took place a day after he pleaded with the military to stop killing innocent civilians in El Salvador’s dirty war. 

This man of faith may never be recognized as a mainstream world renown name, but to his people, he will forever be remembered as a voice of righteousness against human rights violations. He promoted human dignity and defended the principles of protecting lives while opposing all forms of violence. 

In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly name March 24 the "International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims" in honor of the role Archbishop Romero played in defending human rights. 

In 2014, El Salvador named their main international airport after him, becoming Monseñor Óscar Arnulfo Romero International Airport. 

On October 14, 2018, Romero was canonized a saint by the Catholic church. 

As Christians, we know that God calls us all to be saints and once we accept Jesus as Lord, that becomes a reality for us all. The biggest challenge, nevertheless, will always be striving to live for God without focusing on selfish gain. As we see in the example of many that come before us, they did not strive for earthly gain (trophies that rust), rather, they knew that their reward was eternal. 

Next time you are tempted to do the right thing to gain attention or notoriety, remember, a true hero is one who does what’s right, expecting nothing, except to live in the perfect will of God. 

Want to learn more about the life of St. Oscar Romero? Watch the newly restored Romero Collector’s Edition by Paulist Productions on DVD and digital today.