March 23

On this day in 1980, Bishop Oscar Romero delivered a powerful sermon in which he called on members of the El Salvadoran army to obey their consciences as Christians, and to stop carrying out the orders of an oppressive government. This message of the gospel was so threatening to those in power that he was assassinated the next day. 

This is also the feast day, in the Episcopal Church, of Gregory the Illuminator, who died in 328. He was responsible for the Christianization of Armenia and helped found the Armenian Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates his feast day on September 30. 

Today also marks the death, in 1923, of Hovhannes Tumanyan, an Armenian poet and peace activist. 

Reflection: 

Oscar Romero is one of my favorite saints. There is a movie that dramatizes his life, called “Romero.” 

He said: 

He said this about economic inequality, which seems especially relevant in our time and place where billionaires are hollowing out the government to steal more wealth for themselves:

Prayer: God who is beyond all our imaginings of God, we have had your gracious affirmation of all life drilled out of us by religious tyrants. In our heart of hearts we know you are for us. Help us so to believe and so to live. Amen.