The Violence of Love

March 23, 2011

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Yesterday, during his visit to El Salvador, President Obama became the first American president to visit the grave of Archbishop Oscar Romero, the slain Catholic martyr. Thursday marks the 31st anniversary of the assassination of the famous priest, who spoke on behalf of the poor and the victims of El Salvador’s long, bloody civil war. With his eyes closed and head bowed, Obama silently paid his respect to a man who became a prominent international figure for human rights.

Oscar Romero’s advocacy for the marginalized and oppressed often put him at odds with both the government of El Salvador and the hierarchy of the Catholic Church. After speaking out against U.S. military support for the Salvadoran government, and calling for soldiers to disobey orders that harmed human rights, Romero was shot to death while celebrating Mass at a small chapel near his cathedral. It is believed that his assassins were members of Salvadoran death squads, including two graduates of the School of the Americas.

During that final, fateful Eucharistic service, Romero spoke these hauntingly prescient words: “May this body immolated and this blood sacrificed for humans nourish us also, so that we may give our body and blood to suffer and to pain – like Christ, not for self, but to teach justice and peace to our people.” Romero believed that being a Christian meant much more than pious platitudes and emotional ego-stroking. It beckoned us to model our lives after the example of Christ’s self-giving, self-sacrificial love. He believed that our lives needed to echo Christ’s compassion for the poor, the exploited, and the suffering among us.

Yet, his advocacy never involved violence. In a time when our news headlines are filled with more warfare than peacemaking, when tyrants brutalize their own citizens, and as our already taxed military enters its third international engagement, Romero’s words are a clarion call for the Kingdom value of non-violence. “We have never preached violence,” he said, “except the violence of love, which left Christ nailed to a cross, the violence that we must each do to ourselves to overcome our selfishness and such cruel inequalities among us. The violence we preach is not the violence of the sword, the violence of hatred. It is the violence of love, of brotherhood, the violence that wills to beat weapons into sickles for work.

He concluded his homily: "One must not love oneself so much, as to avoid getting involved in the risks of life that history demands of us, and those that fend off danger will lose their lives." And then, with a single sniper’s bullet to the heart, Romero collapsed to the ground behind the altar, the shadow of the crucified Christ looming behind him. His blood spilt onto the ground, a stirring symbol of a man who followed the example of Christ in every way possible.


THE MORAL INFLUENCE ATONEMENT THEORY

Romero’s life is a vivid portrayal of the third atonement theory in our sermon series. The moral influence theory is among the first explanations offered by the early church for how Jesus saved us, taught by such theological giants as Ignatius, Polycarp, Clement, and Irenaeus. The theory proposes that the work of Christ effects positive moral change in our lives and in the world, as we follow the example of Jesus. This example constitutes the entirety of Jesus’ life: not just his death and resurrection, but also his teachings, his convictions, and his actions.

As opposed to simply focusing on salvation as “where we go after we die,” the moral influence theory is strongly concerned with the kingdom of God built in the present. It is less concerned with life after death, and more concerned with our life here on earth, encouraging us to live into the full reflection of the image of God given to us at our creation. It does not trivialize the death of Jesus at the expense of his life and teachings; instead, it inspires us to an obedience that includes our own crosses to bear.

The spirit of the moral influence atonement theory is beautifully captured in Oscar Romero’s bold proclamation to Pope John Paul II: “It’s easy to preach (Christ’s) teachings theoretically. To follow faithfully the pope’s magisterium in theory is very easy. But when you try to live, try to incarnate, try to make reality in the history of the suffering people like ours those saving teachings, that is when conflicts arise.”

Join us this Sunday as we continue our sermon series called, “Why the Cross: Reasons Jesus Died for Us.” We’ll dig further into the moral influence atonement theory, evaluate its pros and cons, and invite you to consider whether this image of atonement draws you closer to the passion and wonder of the cross.

Grace and Peace,

Magrey


The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org




JUDI AND DAVID KLEE CONCERT AT ST. PAUL’S
Mark your calendars for a special concert featuring Judi and David Klee this Sunday afternoon, March 27, at 4:00. It will be a time of wonderful music and testimony, and a free-will offering will be taken to support the St. Paul’s Building Renovation Fund. Bring a friend!

SOLES4SOULS 4 JAPAN
We received word that our ongoing Soles4Souls shoe project is placing special emphasis on the devastation in Japan. Please bring in your used shoes of any size, style, and condition to the church. If you are interested in helping with the delivery of the shoes to the collection site, please contact Sheree Hausmann.

HOT DOG DAYS
We are exploring participation in this year’s Cherokee Hot Dog Days on May 12, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. We would like to take part in the event as an opportunity to promote our upcoming Vacation Bible School to the kids who attend. We are needing people to help set up, cook, and serve on that day. If you would like to help out with Hot Dog Days, please contact the church office.

ONE GREAT HOUR OF SHARING OFFERING APRIL 3
We receive our annual offering to support the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) on April 3. Your gifts support the central relief agency in the United Methodist Church, which is often the first to arrive at a disaster scene and among the last to leave. Thank you for your generosity.

NEW MEMBERS JOINING APRIL 10
We are excited to welcome several new members into our church on April 10. If you are interested in joining the church, please contact the church office.