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Catholicism: A Faith that Demands Justice December 2005
Social Justice is intrinsic to the mission of Santa Clara University, as a Jesuit and Catholic school. Social Justice is palpable on this campus, from the crosses of the murdered Jesuits in front of The Mission, to the living wage employees are paid; from the abundance of student groups dedicated to a faith that does justice to the infusion of social justice into the curriculum with Arrupe Placements. Social justice is tied to the Catholic identity of this school. Ignacio Ellacuria, S.J., one of the murdered Salvadoran Jesuits represented in front of The Mission, recognized Santa Clara’s commitment to social justice in his commencement address in 1982. He spoke of universities’ roles in stopping impunity in Central America with regard to social justice “…especially those universities like Santa Clara—which are inspired by the desire to make present among us all the Kingdom of God.” Social Justice comes from the Catholic Tradition of bringing the preached Kingdom of God to earth. Social Justice begins with Jesus and fades in and out of importance throughout the history of the Vatican. In recent times, the social justice teachings have especially focused on the relevant issue of labor. These recent developments emphasize the importance of an active faith that does justice. Jesus, the ultimate emancipator, is the ultimate model of social justice for Catholics. Jesus emphasized metanoia, Greek for total change of heart. Jesus required that the eradication of evil begins in oneself, “…true liberation begins with the intent of the individual to allow the Kingdom of God to take possession of his heart.” For Jesus, social justice centered around bringing the Kingdom of God into a living reality on earth, starting with the reformation of each person. The Kingdom of God and the People of God, are then actively “challenging the powers of the world.” The empowerment felt by the followers of Jesus is a result of His identity as completely liberated and free from human passions and sins. Jesus placed a special emphasis on those most enslaved by the sins of humanity, the poor and marginalized. There is evidence in both the Gospels and the epistles that Jesus had a concern for social justice. The Gospel according to Luke contains the most stories and parables about Jesus giving sight to the blind and helping the marginalized. Luke’s Gospel contains the beatitude with “Blessed are the poor”, as well as strict demands of renouncing all possessions for discipleship. The Gospel of Luke warns of the spiritual pitfalls of overabundance, and recalls the members of the early Church sharing their excess with those in need. If Jesus came to save those most in need from sin, and Jesus is the model every Catholic follows, then naturally every Catholic should desire to free the oppressed with the infinite love found through Jesus. Paul confirms that in order to live as Jesus lived, we must reach out to the most scandalized members of the community. We must desire solidarity with them, as, “Jesus, who ‘was rich but…became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty’ (2 Cor. 8:9).” Desiring to change that which marginalizes fellow children of God is essential to understanding the Gospel. The epistles encourage the Christian community to pursue a catholic, accepting, and universal community that places a special emphasis on social justice. However, the institution of the Church has not always remained steadfast in its commitment to social justice. |