It was quite an eye opening experience for me. Before I left, I was told to get shots for malaria, typhoid fever, tetanus and hepatitis. I was also told that, despite the disease and extreme poverty there, the people were strong in their Catholic faith. Moreover, they were a happy people.
I accepted all of this as true, except for the part about their happiness. I found it difficult to understand how all those people could be happy in the midst of abject poverty.
Well it all turned out to be true. The vast majority of the people are very poor, lacking many of the things we take for granted such as running water and electricity. But their faith is strong and they seem to be genuinely happy and content.
We visited several villages while we were there and usually the best building in the town was the church. It was amazing to see these nice little well kept churches among ramshackle huts with straw roof s.
There is no free public education in Guatemala, but our Diocese provides scholarships to some of the children to help them receive an education. One day we went to one of those schools. The parents there told us that they had been praying for us. It was very moving. Quite often various people we met would volunteer that they would pray for us and for our Diocese.
One evening our group attended a mass and holy hour which the parish holds each week on Thursday evening. On this weekday evening, there were at least 200 people in attendance for this two and a half hour service.
Our group was fortunate enough to meet with the Bishop of Santa Rosa near the end of our trip. When I told the Bishop how impressed I was with the faith of the people, he said that, “A strong faith is one of God’s gifts to the poor.”
Regarding the happiness of the poor people I met, I frankly find it difficult to explain. It is outside my experience because I was raised in a wealthy society which places a very high value on material goods. Most Americans equate happiness with money and can’t imagine that someone in poverty can be happy.
I was reminded of these things when I reviewed today’s readings. In our first reading, God offers to give King Solomon anything he asks for. Solomon asks for wisdom to judge his subjects and to distinguish right from wrong. God praises Solomon for seeking something for others and not for himself alone, such as riches or long life. Accordingly, God promises him the wisdom he seeks to understand what is right and valuable.
Similarly, in today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks about the wisdom of the people who can recognize true riches, such as the pearl of great price. The wise merchant is willing to sacrifice everything else he has in order to buy this perfect pearl.
I think that many of the poor of Guatemala are like that merchant. They know that they have little opportunity for material wealth. Accordingly, they don’t worry too much about material goods or focus on what they don’t have. Instead, they focus on what they do have. They focus on their family, their friends, their community and on God.
They live contented lives because they are not mislead by the false gods of power, fame and riches. They find their riches in their relationships with God and with the people around them. They recognize that they are heirs to the Kingdom of God. And it is their faith and trust in Him that gives them the strength and joy they need in the often difficult lives they lead.
But don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the people of Guatemala are necessarily any smarter than we are. Why are we gathered here? We are here because we too don't want to be tempted by fake pearls or fool's gold. They are just not worth it. We want the real thing, God’s love, in our lives. We sense what it is--- Who it is--- that gives happiness and meaning to life and we want more of it. We have stumbled on a treasure and know that everything else is of much lesser value.
While there are things the world considers valuable, like personal gain, time, pleasures, and possessions, today’s parables invite us to let all those pearls go whenever they keep us from having the pearl more valuable than all the rest. Indeed we have discovered a treasure that is the most valuable possession we could ever have and that can change our lives. Like the people in today's parables, we have made sacrifices for what we have found. We want to buy the whole field and not live according to the prevalent worldview and standards that confront us each day.
As a result of our "buying the whole field", we practice honesty, even when it means not making extra profits on the job. We treat people, not just fairly, but in a loving way. We are faithful in our marriage and friendships, even though the world treats promises casually. We help people who need us, even if we don't owe them anything. We have hope as we look into our future with God, even though there is a lot that discourages us. We forgive those who harm us, even though many in our world have long memories of wrongs done against them.
Now, none of this makes much sense to outsiders; just as we may have a hard time understanding everything about the Guatemalans. But when Jesus tells stories about finding treasures and a pearl of great price -- I think we can all get it. We can sense what he is speaking of; we sense that we have stumbled on something very valuable. We come to realize it is what we have searched for all our life, even though we hadn't realized it and didn't always know where to look.
Homily given by Gerry Sims, deacon at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Parish in Bridgewater and a member of the 2nd youth delegation trip to Guatemala.
July 27, 2008
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