If you’ve heard my @creativemornings_sd talk, you’ll know why this Oscar Romero quote is one of my favorites ever: “There are some things that can only be seen through eyes that have cried.”
I’ve been reading more about the life of the Salvadorian saint lately, and one of the things that stands out to me is how relatively late he came to the beliefs that he is now largely known for living out.
He’s now known for his social solidarity with the poor, which ultimately drew the ire of the CIA and other positions of power. But when he was appointed archbishop, he was uninterested in liberation theology, and probably held more in common with the socially conservative side of El Salvador from where his eventual assassin would emerge.
It was proximity to suffering and poverty that had a big impact on his shift.
I think we’re in a spot where we find our beliefs and ideals and then filter the world through them. Real proximity to people sparks change and there’s no substitute for that. When you have that, it’s no longer about taking the stance that sends the right signal to the crowd. It becomes about the people whose stories you’ll never forget.
Oscar Romero