Romero quotes

Oscar Romero (1917-1980)


We must not seek the child Jesus in the pretty figures of ourChristmas ribs. We must seek him among the undernourishedchildren who have gone to bed tonight with nothing to eat, amongthe poor newsboys who will sleep covered with newspapers indoorways. December 24, 1979



When we say "for the poor," we do not take sides with one socialclass, please note. What we do, according to Puebla, is inviteall social classes, rich and poor without distinction, saying toeveryone: Let us take seriously the cause of the poor as thoughit were our own -- indeed, as what it really is, the cause ofJesus Christ, who on the final judgment day will call tosalvation those who treated the poor with faith in him. "Whateveryou did to one of these poor ones -- the neglected, blind, lame,deaf, mute -- you did to me." September 9, 1979



Everyone who struggles for justice, everyone who makes justclaims in unjust surroundings, is working for God's reign, eventhough not a Christian. The church does not comprise all of God'sreign, God's reign goes beyond the church's boundaries. Thechurch values everything that is in tune with its struggle to setup God's reign. A church that tries only to keep itself pure anduncontaminated would not be a church of God's service to people.The authentic church is one that does not mind conversing withprostitutes and publicans and sinners, as Christ did -- and withMarxists and those of various political movements -- in order tobring them salvation's true message. December 2, 1978



What good are beautiful highways and airports, beautifulbuildings full of spacious apartments, if they are only puttogether with the blood of the poor, who are not going to enjoythem? July 15, 1979



The church in Latin America has much to say about humanity. Itlooks at the sad picture portrayed by the Puebla conference:faces of landless peasants, mistreated and killed by the forcesof power, faces of laborers arbitrarily dismissed and without aliving wage for their families, faces of the elderly, faces ofoutcasts, faces of slum dwellers, faces of poor children who frominfancy begin to feel the cruel sting of social injustice. Forthem, it seems, there is no future -- no school, no high school,no university. By what right have we cataloged persons asfirst-class persons or second-class persons? In the theology ofhuman nature there is only one class: children of God. March 2,1980



Many would like the poor to keep on saying that it is God's willfor them to live that way. But it is not God's will for some tohave everything and others to have nothing. That cannot be ofGod. God's will is that all his children be happy. September 10,1978



The great need today is for Christians who are active andcritical, who don't accept situations without analyzing theminwardly and deeply. We no longer want masses of people likethose who have been trifled with for so long. We want personslike fruitful fig trees, who can say yes to justice and no toinjustice and can make use of the precious gift of life,regardless of the circumstances. March 9, 1980



Peace is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not thesilence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violentrepression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of allto the good of all. Peace is dynamism. Peace is generosity. It isright and it is duty. In it each one has a place in thisbeautiful family, which the Epiphany brightens for us with God'slight. January 7, 1978



God in Christ dwells near at hand to us. Christ has given us aguideline: "I was hungry and you gave me to eat." Where someoneis hungry, there is Christ near at hand. "I was thirsty and yougave me to drink." When someone comes to your house to ask forwater, it is Christ, if you look with faith.In the sick person longing for a visit Christ tells you, "I wassick and you came to visit me." Or in prison.How many today are ashamed to testify for the innocent! Whatterror has been sown among our people that friends betray friendswhom they see in trouble! If we could see that Christ is theneedy one, the torture victim, the prisoner, the murder victim,and in each human figure so shamefully thrown by our roadsidescould see Christ himself cast aside, we would pick him up like amedal of gold to be kissed lovingly. We would never be ashamedof him.How far people are today -- especially those who torture andkill and value their investments more than human beings -- fromrealizing that all the earth's millions are good for nothing, areworthless, compared to a human being. The person is Christ, andin the person viewed and treated with faith we look on Christ theLord. March 16, 1980



Quotes taken from http://www.justpeace.org/romero.htm