A scene from the movie “Romero” an now old, but still moving, film about Oscar
Romero, who became the Archbishop of El Salvador in the late 1970's.
El Salvador was a nation torn in
two, between
those with political power -to do as they
pleased-
and those
that had none; no voice, no power, no influence
The church leadership tended to
side with those in power…
because
that’s where the money and power came from,
while the parish priests struggled to speak out and stand against
the oppression and injustice they saw, often at a cost to themselves.
Torture and murder were some of the
tools the state used against its own people – often the poorest, those with the
least voice, the least power.
This scene below is in the first 30 minutes or so of
the movie.
Romero, played by the late actor Raul
Julia, has witnessed some of the atrocities and injustices inflicted on “his
flock”.
In the opening scene of this clip –
up to the 1:40 mark…
the part I’m really inviting you to be attentive to…
he walks to the crosses marking the
place where Padre Rutilio
Grande and two others were
assassinated.
Padre Grande was a good friend of
Romero, and his death was one
of the final blows that moved
Romero towards a journey of speaking
out for the poor, against the injustices
of the regime.
Romero was killed in 1979, shot by
an unknown assassin from the back of a church while he celebrating Mass with the people he loved…
presiding over the Eucharist
speaking the words of Jesus
“This is my body, given for you…
when you do this, do it to remember me”
A simple prayer of trust
I can’t… Lord, I don’t have the ability to do this (anymore)
You must… If it’s to happen, it has to be you Lord!
I’m yours… I entrust myself to you! I trust!
Show me the way… Lord, guide me. Open doors for me
“I can’t…
You must…
I’m yours….
Show me the way…”
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