To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your wealth, so as not to crouch among the prisoners or fall among the slain?
Isaiah 10:3b-4
Gustavo Gutiérrez, who died this past October at the age of 96, was known as the “father of liberation theology.”
Liberation theology emphasizes that God has a preferential option for the poor and oppressed of the earth, and is preoccupied with the elimination of the immediate causes of poverty and injustice.
In 1971 Gutiérrez wrote his seminal work, A Theology of Liberation, considered one of the most influential books of the last century. It outlines a vision for change in the structures that created massive inequities between the rich and poor in Latin America.
The book wasn’t without its critics, however. Some within the Catholic Church, such as the late Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Benedict XVI), criticized the movement for what he perceived as excessive politicization and alignment with communist ideologies.
But liberation theology is nothing new. The term may be different, but Gutiérrez was merely acting on what scripture has been calling people of faith to do for centuries, to care for the poor and vulnerable.
Throughout the Old Testament God reminds the children of Israel to care for the widow, the orphan, and the stranger – the “triad of vulnerability,” to use the description of Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann.
Over time, however, as the Israelites became more affluent, they forgot the teachings of God and exercised their privilege in ways that were contrary to what the Lord had taught them.
Today’s reading from Isaiah criticizes the leaders of Israel for their social injustice and oppression of the poor, highlighting the importance of ethical behavior. John the Baptist in the Gospel lessons over the past several days has been saying pretty much the same thing.
Jesus also came into this world as a vulnerable little baby, born in conditions of abject poverty, in a stable where animals dwell.
Nevertheless we have sanitized these circumstances into a mere image on a greeting card that diminishes the message and decreases the despair.
This Advent/Christmas season, may the memory of Gustavo Gutiérrez help us remember that the most vulnerable people are our greatest responsibility.
The struggle for justice and peace calls for each one of us to do our part.
Let us pray.
Look with pity, O heavenly Father, upon the people in this land who live with injustice, terror, disease, and death as their constant companions. Have mercy upon us. Help us to eliminate our cruelty to these our neighbors. Strengthen those who spend their lives establishing equal protection of the law and equal opportunities for all. And grant that every one of us may enjoy a fair portion of the riches of this land; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
