Awakening to the Wounds of the World
Awakening to the Wounds of the World
A Personal Reflection on Jon Sobrino, S.J.’s “Awakening from the Sleep of Inhumanity”
Seeing the World Again
Jon Sobrino’s testimony of awakening—first intellectually, then existentially, and finally morally—provides a spiritual roadmap for all Christians who wish to live with integrity in a world marked by systemic suffering. His journey from “dogmatic slumber” to the painful but liberating consciousness of the world’s poor echoes the call of Gaudium et Spes, which urges the Church to “scrutinize the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel” (Vatican Council II 1965, 4).
What makes Sobrino’s narrative compelling is not simply his intellectual shift but the profound transformation of heart. He awakens not merely from error but from inhumanity—from what Pope Francis describes as the “globalization of indifference.” This awakening, he insists, happens not in European libraries but in the dusty, blood-stained reality of El Salvador’s crucified peoples.
“Truth, love, faith, the gospel of Jesus, God… these were somehow to be found among the poor.”
To engage deeply with Sobrino’s insights, I revisited some spiritual tools that keep my own heart grounded. One helpful resource is a good spiritual journal—simple, durable, something one can bring to prayer or pastoral visits. I personally recommend using a hardbound prayer journal (Amazon) to record movements of the Spirit, especially when encountering painful social realities.
The Shock of Encounter
Sobrino’s return to El Salvador in 1974 serves as his moment of revelation. He encountered a world not merely poor but crucified. This is the language he and Ignacio EllacurÃa would make famous: the world’s poor as “crucified peoples,” marked not by misfortune but by injustice—a reality similar to what Puebla would later affirm: “The poor are those who, trusting in God, defend their dignity in the midst of injustice” (CELAM 1979).
This phrase—“crucified peoples”—is not metaphorical. It describes entire communities condemned to death through structures of violence and exclusion. It names sin not as private moral failure but as what Sollicitudo Rei Socialis calls “social sins and structures of sin” (John Paul II 1987, 36). Sobrino awoke to this reality through concrete encounters with campesinos, mothers who lost children, and workers who risked their lives for justice.
He acknowledges that for years he had seen poverty but had never really seen it. As someone who has done pastoral work in marginalized communities, I resonate deeply with this. Seeing suffering with one’s eyes is easy; seeing it with one’s soul requires conversion. Tools such as accessible Scripture commentaries help contextualize suffering in light of the Gospel. I suggest the NRSV Catholic Study Bible (Amazon) for deeper immersion.
Case Study: A Parish Immersed in Suffering
A small parish I once served in Mindanao reminds me of the tensions Sobrino describes. Local farmers lived under threat from both armed groups and aggressive land developers. Weekly, women would come to the rectory not for catechesis but for help burying their dead. I saw in their faces what Sobrino saw in El Salvador: a reality that refused to let the Gospel remain abstract.
During this time, our pastoral team brought simple support tools to the community: Bibles, rechargeable lamps for evening gatherings, and even portable water filters. Such items were not luxuries; they were lifelines. In this reflection, I recommend a portable LED lamp (Amazon) not only for emergencies but also for prayer gatherings in remote areas where electricity is unreliable.
Awakening as Conversion of Vision
Sobrino’s awakening was not an intellectual upgrade; it was a moral and spiritual earthquake. He realized that neither Rahner nor Moltmann—whom he greatly valued—could be simply “applied” to the Salvadoran poor. Instead of bringing Europe to El Salvador, he needed to bring El Salvador to theology.
This conversion aligns with Pope Francis’ insistence that reality is more important than ideas (Evangelii Gaudium, 2013, 231). Christian faith is not authentic unless it is embodied in solidarity. Sobrino’s testimony confronts all of us who live comfortable lives with the haunting question:
“Are we really human, and if we are believers, is our faith human?”
This awakening includes practical commitments: the choice to simplify one’s lifestyle, to accompany suffering communities, and to use one’s resources for the common good. A simple step is choosing tools that accompany spiritual reflection, such as a portable pocket cross (Amazon)—useful for hospital visits or mission trips, serving as a tactile reminder of Christ’s crucified peoples.
Case Study: A Young Teacher’s Awakening
A young teacher I mentored had what Sobrino would call “a jolt into humanity.” She visited a coastal community displaced by a mining company. Initially she went simply to conduct interviews for her thesis, but her encounter with hungry children, grieving parents, and devastated land changed her. She left not only with data but with a new vocation: she became a community organizer, helping secure scholarships and livelihood grants.
Her awakening was triggered by the same revelation Sobrino describes: truth is not neutral. It demands a response. As Laudato Si’ urges, “There is no genuine ecology without an adequate anthropology” (Pope Francis 2015, 118). To see injustice is to recognize one’s responsibility.
The Theology That Emerges from the Poor
Sobrino insists that the poor are not objects of charity but sources of revelation. Among the crucified peoples, he discovered:
- the scandal of systemic violence
- the persistence of hope
- the creativity born from suffering
- the generosity of those who have nothing
Hope is what the poor teach best. Their hope is not optimism but what Spe Salvi describes as “performative hope”—hope that inspires action in the present (Benedict XVI 2007, 2). This resonates with Sobrino’s claim that the poor exhibit “boundless, even heroic, altruism.”
The Cross as the Shape of the World
The most sobering part of Sobrino’s reflection is his discovery that the world itself is a cross. Not a symbol, but a structure that deals death. This aligns with his reading of Romans 1:18 and his realization that sin is “that which deals death.”
Yet paradoxically, it is also from this cross that hope emerges. The crucified Christ is God’s solidarity made flesh. The crucified peoples reveal the truth of history. And the awakened Christian is called not to flee this cross but to embrace it.
Spiritual resilience requires practices that nourish the heart. During my own difficult pastoral years, I relied heavily on a compact but clear rosary guide (Shopee) to sustain my prayer life amid chaos.
Practical Applications for Today
1. Practice “contemplation of reality.”
Spend time listening to the stories of the poor. Do not enter with solutions—enter with humility.
2. Support local justice movements.
Whether through donations, volunteer work, or advocacy, choose one cause that defends the dignity of the marginalized.
3. Simplify your lifestyle.
Live more lightly to stand in solidarity with those who have little.
4. Deepen your spiritual grounding.
Use tools—journals, Scripture, and prayer guides—to cultivate a heart capable of compassion.
5. Engage in communal discernment.
Join groups that read Scripture through the lens of the poor. The base ecclesial communities of Latin America remain powerful models.
Final Reflection
Sobrino’s awakening challenges us to confront our own forms of sleep—whether indifference, privilege, or comfort. To wake from the sleep of inhumanity is to let the world’s wounds into one’s heart. It is not an awakening into despair but into truth, responsibility, and deep joy.
“The Gospel is not just truth—it is, above all, good news that produces joy.”
May we, too, be awakened.
Disclosure and Recommended Resources
Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting this work.
Amazon Recommendations
- Hardbound Prayer Journal
- NRSV Catholic Study Bible
- Solar Charger Power Bank
- Pocket Cross for Missions
Shopee Recommended Resources
Related Posts
- Recommended Reads
- Justice Is Essential to the Christian Faith
- Case Studies: Social Sin and Injustice
- A Reflection on Social Sin
References
Benedict XVI. 2007. Spe Salvi.
CELAM. 1979. Puebla: Evangelization at Present and in the Future of Latin America.
Francis. 2013. Evangelii Gaudium.
Francis. 2015. Laudato Si’.
John Paul II. 1987. Sollicitudo Rei Socialis.
Vatican Council II. 1965. Gaudium et Spes.
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