All things are vanity!

Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! For what profit comes to a person from all the toil and anxiety of heart with which they have labored under the sun! At one time or another some of have questioned our lives as Qoheleth. What is life all about, why do I work so hard; does my life really mean anything?

Maybe it is someone who has finally reached the golden years of retirement age and finds that there are now frequent trips to the doctors with pains in places they never knew they had and activities are curtailed. I know of those who have worked hard all their life, led an honorable just life, trying to do what is right, honoring their faith, and saved to provide a good retirement. However, suffered great loses. Those so called golden years have rusted. What’s it all about God?

Is it truly vain to want a good and comfortable life, to provide for ourselves and our family? Of course not, but we are to examine to what degree/price. IN OTHER words, when is enough too much?

Jesus tells us I’m not getting involved with settling disputes over money and inheritance, or judge and arbitrate what is just or right! Instead, Jesus says, instead I’ll leave you with a parable about life and its tempting choices. We hear of the inordinate craving of the rich man to hoard as a guarantee against insecurity in his old age. His choices are not only disregard those in need, but he also puts goods in the place of God. Luke calls it not being “rich toward God”. Paul calls such greed as worshipping and serving “the creature rather than the Creator”, and labels it as “idolatry”.

However, the hoarding rich man in the gospel is not participating in graft, or manipulating the market, stealing from neighbors, or mistreating workers. Luke would have revealed such behavior as in other parables. In the secular realm the man is not a criminal, he makes an economic decision and replaces his old barns with larger ones. His land produces a huge bounty; the soil, sun, and rain join in making him wealthy.  Living completely for himself he never mentions family, friends, neighbor or God. He talks to himself, he congratulates himself, he plans for himself—notice how many times the word “I” takes place in his statements. If he is not unjust, then what is wrong? He is a fool says God in the parable. He then dies suddenly, vanity of vanities; all is vanity, as Qoheleth would say. Or as Jesus asks earlier in this same gospel: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses or forfeit his soul?

NOW There is no place in the Bible that says it is a sin or evil to be rich or comfortable, but as we know numerous places caution about greed and selfish

“I-ness” me-ness”. Again and again, the gospels in the words of Jesus raises the subject of possessions along with an examination of how we live with them. For anyone who wants to claim life in Christ; shares possessions knowing that all blessings come from God. And as far as death coming like a thief in the night, we could say our true richness is owning how we share God’s love in us. Claiming Christ’s love for us is what we can count on. What we cannot count on is our time here, but given the free will on how to use it with love, with God, with others.

We come to church, the House of God, to strive and loosen our attempts to be so privatized and isolated. We come to become more like Jesus. In the Mass as a faith family, we come to be reminded that taking our blessings, no matter how large or small, and acknowledge that they are all gifts not to horde, but gifts given to share. And not just material gifts, but the gift of time as well, of giving a good ear and listening to a family member, neighbor, or parishioner, who just needs to feel heard/listened to, or the time to encourage a young person to pursue his or her dreams,

or tell your children who may have left the faith that your love like God’s abides with them no matter what. Let them also know that you believe God is at work in their lives as well as your own.

If infirmities hold you back from volunteering to help others, stay in and pray over the news—call or write a parishioner or neighbor in need of prayers another way for anyone to live God.  Think about and pray about giving time to a child in school that needs tutoring, or CCD, Youth Min, Confirmation. Or take the time to visit the elderly in convalescent homes or help- call someone you haven’t seen at Mass in a while and let them know you’re praying for them and miss seeing them. There are so many little ways that can make us rich in what matters to God.

And we know we always feel better when we do.