Don’t judge. We are sinners.

How different we look at people. We judge by appearances. And we can’t see the inside. What did they say about Jesus? “Oh, a glutton and a drunkard…” (Lk 7:34). People are often like children from the Gospel. They whistle, and who dances? No one. They are playing at a funeral, and no one is dead. We will say: “They are children, let them play .” And why do their fathers and mothers judge John the Baptist and Christ? We read the Gospel several times about Christ: “A great prophet arose among us” and “God visited his people.” And about John the Baptist as the greatest prophet born of a woman…

Let’s tell a true story from the recent past. Oscar Romero (1917-1980), archbishop from El Salvador, was a shy, sensitive, needlessly non-confrontational person for most of his life. Bookworm, hesitant, man of order.  In 1977, he was appointed bishop. Some cheered, others were frustrated. Those who liked his nature cheered – he did not interfere in anything. In that country, the politicians had “side interests” and did not like to be pointed out. Those who expected the shepherd to stand up for the oppressed, the persecuted, who would notice the vices of the powerful and be on them were disappointed. To point out. He will be like Jesus – a person of compassion, courage, good vision, and apparent attitude. Despite all their respect for his person, they did not consider him such. Only three months after his ordination, a Jesuit was murdered, a priest of his diocese, a farmer, and a minister by certain partisans, and then the raid of the parish where this Jesuit worked. The soldiers desecrated the church and prevented Bishop Romero from entering when he wanted to save the Eucharist. This event he later referred to as his true “conversion.” He understood what others had pointed out to him but what he did not want to believe. It suddenly dawned on him, and he saw that they were right. This was an awakening from a dream for him. From that day on, he stopped considering who would think what of him and what weapon to use against him. When he was 60 years old, he changed. He got out of the rut. He began to see the suffering of the Salvadoran people and became unusually courageous. When he wanted to save the Eucharist. This event he later referred to as his true “conversion.” He understood what others had pointed out to him but what he did not want to believe. It suddenly dawned on him, and he saw that they were right. This was an awakening from a dream for him. From that day on, he stopped considering who would think what of him and what weapon to use against him. When he was 60 years old, he changed. He got out of the rut. He began to see the suffering of the Salvadoran people and became unusually courageous. When he wanted to save the Eucharist. This event he later referred to as his true “conversion.” He understood what others had pointed out to him but what he did not want to believe. It suddenly dawned on him, and he saw that they were right. This was an awakening from a dream for him. From that day on, he stopped considering who would think what of him and what weapon to use against him. When he was 60 years old, he changed. He got out of the rut. He began to see the suffering of the Salvadoran people and became unusually courageous. Christians must be “courageous people”.He started preaching over the radio. All radio stations in the country were turned on at full blast. Until the religious transmitter was blown up. Archbishop Romero did not stop anyway and called on people to be active themselves and “not to wait for what the bishop tells them on Sunday. The wealthy oligarchy he challenged tried to declare him a “psychopath.” Finally, he called on the military to defy the order and end the oppression of his people. From that moment on, he had to count on his death. Shortly before his death, he said in an interview: ” As a Christian, I do not believe in death without resurrection. As a shepherd, I am obliged by the task given to me by God to give my life to those I love; they are all Salvadorans, even those who want to kill me. A bishop may die, but the Church of God, i.e., people will never perish”. On March 24, 1980, during the service of St.

A challenge for us. Death is our redemption from earthly life. If we die, we should live faithfully, honestly, and responsibly before God and our neighbors.