by Joseph Stoutzenberger
Recently a pastor in a North Carolina church was fired by his congregation for preaching too much about healthcare for those who are poor, equitable distribution of resources, climate change, and racial discrimination—issues of social justice. A member of the parish said, “We’re not against his message, but we want 80% consolation and 20% social justice.”
What is the message of Jesus—consolation or social justice? Plenty of gospel passages can be cited that highlight his message of consolation. He constantly tells us, “Do not be afraid.” “Your sins are forgiven.” “My peace I give you.” “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” On the other hand, in Matthew 25 Jesus tells us that following him means taking care of those who are in need—those who are hungry or thirsty or in prison. So, Jesus preached both consolation and social justice, comfort and challenge. What percentages of the two most accurately reflect his message? 80-20? 50-50?
Clearly, Jesus proclaimed both messages. A question is: Does emphasizing one message diminish the importance of the other? Does talk of justice support or dismiss words of comfort? Peruvian theologian Gustavo Gutierrez, the leading proponent of liberation theology in the 1960s and 70s, was criticized for equating Christianity with a social justice agenda similar to the Latin American Marxism of the time. His critics argued that Christianity is about other-world salvation, not this-world liberation. He countered that criticism by noting that people who are the poorest and victims of injustice are the ones crying out most loudly for words of consolation. Because their lives are filled with hardship and struggle, they want to know that a better life awaits them when their lives and those of their loved ones are cut short. They are also acutely aware of the impact that injustice and oppression have on their quality of life in this world. According to Gutierrez, they want Jesus to be both savior and liberator, consoler as well as a prophet standing up against injustice. They want food on the table for their children along with the hope that in the end all will be well.
In 2025, the first words of the newly elected Pope Leo XIV were, “Peace be with you.” It was a consoling message to begin his papacy. He then went on to talk about care for immigrants seeking a better life, not in the hereafter but here on earth. As someone who served as a bishop in Peru, he knows both parts of the Christian message. What did Jesus model in his life? For most of it he lived a quiet life, but after his encounter with a man named John the Baptist he changed his life. According to gospel accounts, he then spent forty days alone in a desert place, but for his remaining three years he went about preaching and healing. If God’s consolation and the promise that all will be well in the next life was all that he wanted, he would have stayed working at his humble jobs awaiting God’s salvation when he died. He didn’t do that. Instead, his public life was all about making life better for others on earth as it is in heaven, both here and now and in the hereafter. He preached consoling words, but he also challenged people to transform society so that those who are hungry, thirsty, and in prison can have a better life.
The North Carolina parishioner understood that Jesus challenged people to work for justice, but she wanted much more consolation than she was hearing from her pastor. There’s no set recipe for how much each ingredient should be baked into the pie that is our life. The bishops of Vatican Council II claimed that hope for eternal life is actually a stimulus for acting on behalf of justice. It sparks the courage needed to get involved in concerns beyond our comfort zone. That consoling God Jesus talks about wants peace and prosperity for all and challenges us to help make it happen. He blends the two messages together in his command: love one another as I have loved you.
Joseph Stoutzenberger 