Romero: Casting Prophetic Anxiety - Liberation (1 Peter 5:7)

Imagine the sun setting over San Salvador, casting long shadows across the streets where Archbishop Oscar Romero once walked—shadows filled with the weight of fear and uncertainty. Death threats loomed like storm clouds above him, and yet, he ventured into those streets, carrying the voice of the marginalized, echoing their pain and their hope. You could almost hear the whispers of the poor, the cries of the oppressed, a symphony of anguish and yearning for justice.

In those turbulent times, Romero lived out the powerful directive found in 1 Peter 5:7—“Casting all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you.” This wasn’t merely a platitude for him; it was a lifeline, a daily practice. Each morning, as he prepared to confront the powers that be, he would pause and release the weight of his fears, the anxiety that came from standing against injustice, from speaking truth to those who wielded authority.

You could see the tension etched on his face as he wrestled with the cost of his prophetic ministry—the potential for betrayal, the separation from allies, the heart-wrenching reality of the suffering he witnessed. And yet, with every sermon delivered, with every visit to the wounded, he found a way to cast those anxieties upon the liberating God who sustained him.

Romero's continual courage emerged from a rhythm of release, a deep assurance that he was not alone in the struggle. It reminds us that our own burdens—those fears of stepping into our calling, our hesitations about confronting injustice—are also meant to be cast away. In our moments of anxiety, whether in quiet prayer or bold action, we find that the same God who calls us to liberation is the one who promises to care for us amid the storm. So cast your anxieties, lean into faith, and continue in the work of justice and mercy. Remember, He cares for you.