The hermeneutical priority of the poor

Do the poor know the reality better?

Years ago I read a good article by Monika Hellwig, “Good News to the Poor: Do They Understand It Better?” Though I cannot remember the details of the article, it struck a chord in me.

Today’s Sojo.net’s quote from Edward Said reminded me of that question.

Even if one is not an actual immigrant or expatriate, it is still possible to think as one, to imagine and investigate in spite of barriers, and always to move away from the centralizing authorities towards the margins, where you see things that are usually lost on minds that have never traveled beyond the conventional and comfortable.

Said's quote reminded me of three statements of two Honduran leaders:

Last week, Catholic News Service had an interview with Honduran Cardinal Oscar Rodríguez. Defending his position against charges of being a supporter of the coup, he noted “it all depends upon the sunglasses people have ... or the reading glasses."


In July, Cardinal Rodriguez was interviewed by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo. He was asked his reaction to the international community and its opposition to the coup.

What happened with the international community is what the Psalm says: “It has eyes but doesn’t see; ears, but doesn’t see; tongues but doesn’t speak." Sadly they have not wanted to see the reality no what was happening here.”

Earlier this month, de facto president Roberto Micheletti chided the visitors from the Organization of American States:

"You don't know the truth or don't want to know it… You don't want to know what happened before 28 June."

But what do the poor see and experience?

I remember Jack Jezreel, founder of JustFAITH, speaking about the blinders that wealth gives us. He told the story of a time in his life when he lived in Florida. He woke up in his air-conditioned apartment, went to work in his air-conditioned car, worked in the comfort of an air-conditioned office, and may even had the chance to work out or play tennis in an air-conditioned gym. The poor in the same town would obviously experience the weather differently – but perhaps more really.

In some ways the poor – relieved of the defenses of wealth and power – experience in carne propio - in their own flesh the realities of this world. And so I value their input.

I have been away for three weeks but tomorrow CARITAS of the diocese of Santa Rosa de Copán is having an interchange among the groups that Caritas works with here. I am looking forward to hearing their stories and getting a chance to talk with them. That I think will help me more than reading newspapers or surfing the internet (though there are some good folks there sharing the stories of the poor and marginalized in Honduras and trying to throw some light on the crisis).