Daily Lesson for March 24, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from John chapter 10 verses 11 through 15:

11 ‘I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep.

Today marks the 41st anniversary of the martyr death of Archbishop Oscar Romero, prelate archbishop of San Salvador, and human rights leader. He was assassinated while celebrating mass at the altar. No one was ever convicted of his murder.

Romero's appointment as archbishop was at first looked on with suspicion by many liberationist priests due to his natural conservatism. But as he saw the tensions and injustices within his country growing, and the degree to which the military dictatorship was willing to go to retain control, Romero began to speak out and soon became a champion for the poor and oppressed. As he grew more bold, Romero soon took on the target of an enemy of the state.

Romero is the model of the kind of pastor Jesus speaks of in today's Lesson -- someone willing to lay his own life on the line for the sake of his people.

In observance of Romero's death, the Episcopal Church prayed this prayer this past Sunday:

"Almighty God, who didst call thy 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 we, inspired by his sacrifice and the example of the martyrs of El Salvador, may without fear or favor witness to thy Word who abideth, thy Word who is Life, even Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with thee and the Holy Spirit, be praise and glory now and for ever. Amen."

Indeed, may we all learn to be voices for the voiceless and act without fear or favor for the sake of those whom we are called to love, serve, and lie down our lives on behalf.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.