18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)
Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23 | Psalm 89:3-6,12-14,17 | Colossians 3:1-5,9-11 | Luke 12:13-21
Vanity of vanities, Qoheleth says.
Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! (Ecclesiastes 1:2)
Even this blog. ?
To be sure, “vanity” in the context of Ecclesiastes connotes a sense of fleetingness rather than excessive pride in oneself. In today’s first reading, we are therefore reminded that everything in our lives, all our cherished possessions and pleasures, will be lost to us when we pass on. The secular saying “you can’t take it with you” has much truth in it.
So as we spend our days chasing after something more than three square meals and a roof over our heads, let us also set aside some time with the Lord who awaits us at our end of days – if we choose to prepare ourselves in this life. In the words of the old communion hymn:
Work for the food that’s lasting
Work not for food that spoils
Work for the bread from heaven
And gain eternal life
So if my daily blogging ever distracts me from learning to love God and others more fully and freely, I’ll quietly stop and walk in a more appropriate direction. If it distracts others, I’ll strongly consider burning this blog to the ground.
Lord, our daily cares often overwhelm Your quiet plea for attention. Help us to carve out some daily silence in our lives, so that we may commune with You and learn from You and love You more each day, and that we may be reunited with You in the fullness of time and the all-encompassing light of Your glory. Amen.