Can two people really hear the same story and come away with two different meanings? The answer is obviously, “Yes”. The images of Pope Benedict XVI arriving in Brazil highlight this fact of life. The more I think about this, the more I stop trying to fight the notion of relative interpretations based on different life experiences.

Nobody will argue that a central element of the Bible is social justice. We may disagree about its priority or application, but we will all agree that it is vital to the kingdom of God. Moses was passionate about Justice for his people, the prophets were passionate about ending injustice at the hands of their leaders, and Jesus was passionate about creating a kingdom with a strikingly different view of social status. What do you hear in a simple command to feed the poor? Could it depend on your level of poverty? That single statement to feed the poor intentionally conveys two completely different messages. On one hand, this command is a call to action for those that are blessed but on the other hand, it is a profound statement of hope for those that are in need. For some, that statement suggests sacrifice and for others it suggests the possibility that their suffering may have an end. It is clear that one statement can have two audiences and two targeted messages. The meaning is relative to your own experience.

For those people in need of justice, hope is their salvation. The despair that is often caused by people telling them their situation is a product of their own sin is one of the things that they need to be saved from. It should not be a surprise to anyone that Latin America is more responsive to the message of hope and a style of worship that reflects their own experience. Pope Benedicts oppostion to liberation theology hasn't played well with this audience, but by doing that he strengthens the forces that hold these people in bondage.