The Cause of God

Again I saw all the oppressions that are practiced under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. Ecc. 4:1 RSV

But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant, are all the enemies who oppressed thy people. Wis. 15:14 RSV

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Ps 9:9 RSV.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Lk. 4:18-21. RSV.

Scripture makes it clear, the cause of God is the cause of the oppressed.  In the person of Jesus we find the stronghold for the oppressed. Those who claim to follow Jesus but ignore his message show disbelief. Jesus makes it clear, he has come to heal the world, and we have a part in his work. He is not disinterested in the oppressed; God came as one of the oppressed, he is on their side; his death on the cross demonstrates where sin is taking us, his resurrection shows us where God would lead us. He comes bringing justice to the world.  Sin leads to death; the path of sin is the path of death. It is not just abortion, it is not just euthanasia, it is not just war that leads to death: the wages of sin is death. All sin leads to death. All sin, all rejection of God’s justice, is a part of the culture of death. Those who ignore the poor follow the path of sin, the culture of death. Those who do not speak out against injustice follow the path of sin, the culture of death. Those who are indifferent to greed are indifferent to the culture of death. Christians are called to turn their back on all of this, to take up their cross and follow Christ. We are to take on oppression to let it be overcome. If we put on Jesus in baptism, it is now time for us to take on the cause of Jesus. Let us take the gifts given to us, and use it for the glory of God; use it for his cause, the cause of the oppressed, so that we shall one day hear, “`Well done, good and faithful servant.”