On this date in 1980 Archbishop Oscar Romero was assassinated. As he was holding up the chalice during the mass, gunmen sent by the government of El Salvador shot him and killed him. His blood and the Blood of Christ mingled on the floor of the chapel. All this because the Archbishop dared to defend the poor and the powerless. All of which serves perhaps as a commentary on the “love command” of Jesus. Jesus replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love is not all sunshine, lollipops, and roses. Any parent can testify that real love, genuine love is costly. This Lent is the opportunity to seek the freedom of genuine love.
