J. Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, c. 1665–1667, oil on canvas, Mauritshuis, The Hague (Netherlands).
Few paintings are as instantly recognizable as Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. The pearl at the center of the painting draws the viewer’s attention, not because of its size, but because of its beauty and value. In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of a merchant who spends his life searching for fine pearls. Then, one day, he finds a pearl of such extraordinary worth that he sells everything he owns in order to possess it. The parable invites us to ask a simple but important question: What do we consider truly valuable? Much of our lives can be spent pursuing success, comfort, possessions, recognition, or security. Yet Jesus reminds us that there is something infinitely greater: the Kingdom of God. Unlike worldly treasures, it does not lose its value with time. It is worth every sacrifice because it leads us to the One for whom our hearts were made. The merchant in the parable does not act reluctantly. He acts with joy because he has finally found what he was seeking. The same is true for every authentic Christian vocation. Following Christ always involves letting go of something, but what we receive is far greater than what we leave behind. Like the pearl in Vermeer’s famous painting, the Kingdom may not appear impressive by worldly standards. It can seem quiet, hidden, and easily overlooked. Yet those who recognize its beauty discover a treasure beyond price, one that transforms every other value and gives meaning to everything else in life •
This beautiful duet, Au fond du temple saint, comes from Bizet’s opera The Pearl Fishers. Two friends recall the beauty of a woman they once loved and promise to remain faithful to their friendship above all else. As we hear it today, it is hard not to think of Jesus’ parable of the pearl of great price. The merchant who discovers the pearl recognizes something so precious that everything else becomes secondary. The Christian life begins when we discover that Christ himself is that pearl. The image also calls to mind Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. Like the merchant in the Gospel, and like the fishermen in Bizet’s opera, we are drawn by beauty. Yet every earthly beauty is only a reflection of a greater beauty—the beauty of God, hidden and waiting to be discovered by the attentive heart •
St. Joseph Catholic Church (Dilley, TX) • Weekend Schedule
Fr. Agustin E. (Parish Administrator)
Saturday, July 25, 2026
10.00 a.m. Sacrament of Baptism
5.00 p.m. Sacramento de la Confesión
6.00 p.m. Santa Misa.
Sunday, July 26, 2026
8.00 a.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation
8.30 a.m. Holy Mass.
10.30 p.m. Sacrament of Reconciliation.
11.00 a.m. Holy Mass.
XVII Domingo del Tiempo Ordinario (Ciclo A)
E. Hopper, Barber Shop (1931), óleo sobre tela, colección privada.
Una de las experiencias más comunes de la vida adulta es descubrir que muchas cosas no son exactamente como imaginábamos. El trabajo que soñábamos, la casa que deseábamos, el reconocimiento que buscábamos o incluso algunos de nuestros logros terminan siendo valiosos, sí, pero incapaces de sostener por sí solos el peso de una vida entera. Las parábolas de este domingo parten de una observación muy humana: hay cosas que valen más que otras. La verdadera sabiduría consiste en saber distinguirlas. No todo tiene el mismo peso. No todo merece la misma inversión de tiempo, energía y corazón. Jesús propone una inversión radical de prioridades. Nos invita a medir el valor de las cosas no por su utilidad inmediata, ni por el placer que producen, ni por el prestigio que otorgan, sino por su capacidad para acercarnos a Dios y prepararnos para la vida eterna. Esa es la lógica del Reino. El tesoro escondido y la perla preciosa representan aquello que permanece cuando tantas otras cosas pasan. Y quizá la pregunta más importante que plantea el Evangelio no es qué estamos buscando, sino qué lugar ocupa Dios entre todo aquello que ya hemos encontrado •
La Sinfonía n.º 94 de Joseph Haydn, conocida como la Sinfonía Sorpresa, debe su nombre a un inesperado acorde fortísimo que irrumpe en medio de una melodía suave y tranquila. Con ese gesto, Haydn consigue despertar al oyente y recordarle que debe prestar atención. Algo parecido sucede en el Evangelio de este domingo. En medio de las preocupaciones y ocupaciones ordinarias de la vida, Jesús introduce una idea desconcertante: que el Reino de Dios vale más que cualquier otra cosa que podamos poseer o alcanzar. Como la sorpresa de Haydn, sus parábolas interrumpen nuestra rutina y nos obligan a preguntarnos si realmente estamos dando a las cosas la importancia que merecen •
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