Years later, in August of 1896, gold was discovered in a tributary of the Klondike River in Canada's Yukon, that became known as the Klondike Gold Rush.
In both cases, there were literally thousands of prospectors from the cities on the West Coast as well as many coming from the East to strike it rich, or so they hoped. In reality, though, there were many more that came and went with little to show for all their hard, lonely work. In fact, many that ventured into the Klondike area died from exposure or starvation in a vain search for the precious golden metal. Those that hit the Sutter's Mill area may not have died from extreme cold temperatures, but suffered nonetheless, and returned penniless.
Even back in those days, there were scammers and charlatons that took advantage of the struggling prospectors, charging them outrageous prices not only for food and dry-good supplies, but also for pack animals to carry their tools, additional clothes and medicine. There were few reputable doctors to look after those that became sick; some coming down with diseases, especially dysentery with some dying from polluted water.
Eureka! I've found it! And some did manage to find, and cash in on some of the big gold strikes, but those were few and far between...
In the beginning, many novice prospectors thought they had hit it big when they uncovered what became know as Fool's Gold: it looks like the real thing, but is only a "shadow" of the treasured metal, bringing in very little money for the expended labor, time and money to refine the ore into the finished product. In other words, it wasn't worth the effort...
Fast forward to the present day, to see the current "fool's gold" in the form of our elected representatives as well as our ecclesiastical representatives, or shepherds, whose job it is to guide the citizenry and the flock to the Beatific Vision...
We have "Catholic" politicians that claim -- and boast! -- that they are Catholic, yet they are submerged in the culture of death, slyly peddling abortion, euthanasia, homosexuality, and now infanticide to curry favor with their potential voting constituents.
On the ecclesiastical side, it is easy to observe those priests and prelates that seem to compromise Church teaching on faith and morals, in order to go along to get along, perhaps?
The problem is, when such compromise is implemented, the faithful suffer, some to the point of leaving Mother Church for "greener pastures," at least that's what they think is around the corner...
Fool's Gold is a façade; it's not real; it sickens the citizenry; it confuses and frustrates the faithful Catholic; it is deadly to the soul.
Real gold ore is tested, tried and made pure through fire to sift out the impurities, leaving only that which is worthwhile and precious. The same can be said for the spiritual "gold" of a soul in the state of grace after being tested, tried and made pure through the fire of temptation, leaving a stronger, more resolute individual to battle those fiery darts of the father of lies...
Pray to find the real "gold" of strength to do God's will, not ours, and pray for our country...
Gene DeLalla
Pretty good analogy, Gene. Food for thought.
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