Chapapani

So two Sundays ago I accompanied Omar, one of the Jesuit novices, to the rural community of Chapapani for a eucharistic celebration. The community is about a 45 minute walk into the campo from Tiraque. We arrived to find villagers waiting outside the little chapel for the celebration to begin. Many of them had themselves walked a considerable distance from outer reaches of the community.

Whenever I am surrounded by these humble people I myself am humbled even more than I could have imagined. Wrapped in tattered blankets, they pour into the tiny chapel until they spill out the door. The homily was given in brief spurts so that it could be translated into Quechua as it was given. The children were enthusiastic, and the elderly were devout, solemn. I wondered if they understood anything that was being said other than the homily in Quechua.

Then, as I listened to the readings, I wondered what they were thinking. That day’s readings were about the equality of all people, the rich and the poor alike. “Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs to the Kingdom…?” says the reading from the Letter of St. James. Many times I have heard that, and many times I have nodded my head and thought, “Of course! The poor may not have material riches, but they are able to be open to (“ephphatha”) the blessings of the Lord.”

But now, surrounded by the poorest people I have ever seen, I wonder how they hear those words. Do they think that they are poor? Do they hear the words and rejoice that God has not forsaken them, holding tightly to the promise of one day inheriting the kingdom and no longer being poor? Or do they think of those who have even less than them and offer prayers for the really poor? And how does it affect them or the way they view themselves to have gringos present, who quite obviously are rich?

I can never know the answers to these questions. Even as I live side-by-side with these people and accompany them for two years, I can never get more than a clouded glimpse of the reality of their lives. It is impossible for me to truly understand. It can be easy for us to glorify the poor, those with whom Christ chose to walk, those whom receive so many blessings in Scripture. “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.”

“Blessed are you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.” Luke 6:20

I truly hope so.