Tuesday in Lent 4

From Psalm 94:

4 They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.
5 They crush your people, O Lord,
and afflict your heritage.
6 They kill the widow and the stranger,
they murder the orphan,
7 and they say, ‘The Lord does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.’

Only a condition of severe unawareness or delusion could allow anyone to view recent decades and not see that we have been living in a culture of greed and exploitation. Hardly something new in history. What is amazing is how shocked (shocked!) folks seem when it is brought out into the light and discussed publicly.

We now experience the turmoil and terror of consequences.

Fear can magnify every threat and crush any hope. It is good to let Jesus' message in the Gospel lesson from today's Office sink in:



I thank my friends who have honored Arzobispo Romero on this, his feast.

Almighty God, you called your servant Oscar Romero to be a voice for the voiceless poor, and to give his life as a seed of freedom and a sign of hope: Grant that, inspired by his sacrifice and the example of the martyrs of El Salvador, we may without fear or favor witness to your Word who abides, your Word who is Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen.

O God, with you is the well of life, and in your light we see light: Quench our thirst with living water, and flood our darkened minds with heavenly light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

--the BB