Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, – My take on the Homily of 31st July 2016

Today is the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Rev. Fr. Quaygraine was the Homilist and he focused on the fact that everything we do on earth should be focussed on the end, Heaven.

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

 This is a verse in the Bible that challenge our lives. Qoheleth, the preacher challenges our very essence as human beings in this world. What we do, what we seek after and what we strive for to make a difference.

The Preacher,Qoheleth,  touches on 3 key values of life; Wisdom, Knowledge & Skills. All these are good but what is their value when we cannot take it beyond the grave?

A Professor in a conversation with the Homilist Fr. Quagrine says to him nothing bothers him, he is not afraid of death, but what keeps him up is who will take care of all the things he has acquired when he dies.

The Preacher is not telling us not to work and work hard. He is not saying that we should not seek wisdom, knowledge and skills. But he tells us at the end of Ecclesiastes, the essence of life and what is important. Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

So in all we do should be geared towards the conclusion, Fear God and do Good. It should be about accumulation of treasure in heaven. With that there is all the benefit in death

In the Gospel we hear of the issue of inheritance. Christ says I am not about earthly property; what I am about, is where you will be in perpetuity. Christ is admonishing you and I:

“Take care to guard against all greed,

for though one may be rich,

one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Christ say it is not about resting, eating and making merry. If that is all our focus then we will be called fools and we are indeed fools.

But God said to him,

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;

and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

 If this rich man’s focus had been about how he will use his riches to help others, he will not have been called a fool. Christ is not saying we should not work hard and genuinely gather wealth. But He wants us to go beyond the physical things and go for what will secure us live everlasting life. What will these gifts of his be channelled into. It should not be to satisfy our selfish and greedy needs. But it should be for doing God’s work and for the benefits of others.

The good news is that we who are called by His name, are blessed, we have died in Christ and we have been raised in Him, so when He comes we will rise with Him. We are heavenly beings hidden in Christ. So our old selves is dead and the new being is in Christ Jesus. So we have to stop focusing on earthly life and

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:

immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,

and the greed that is idolatry.

Stop lying to one another,

since you have taken off the old self with its practices

and have put on the new self,

which is being renewed, for knowledge,

in the image of its creator

 We should live as heavenly beings hidden in Christ. What are securing as treasure in the Kingdom of God? How are we using your earthly gifts to secure that space in Heaven? As for death we all shall die and one day, let us focus on Heaven, using what He has blessed us on earth

 The readings of the day

Reading 1 ECC 1:2; 2:21-23 

 Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,

vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!

Here is one who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill,

and yet to another who has not labored over it,

he must leave property.

This also is vanity and a great misfortune.

For what profit comes to man from all the toil and anxiety of heart

with which he has labored under the sun?

All his days sorrow and grief are his occupation;

even at night his mind is not at rest.

This also is vanity.

Responsorial Psalm PS 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 

  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

You turn man back to dust,

saying, “Return, O children of men.”

For a thousand years in your sight

are as yesterday, now that it is past,

or as a watch of the night.

You make an end of them in their sleep;

the next morning they are like the changing grass,

Which at dawn springs up anew,

but by evening wilts and fades.

Teach us to number our days aright,

that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Return, O LORD! How long?

Have pity on your servants!

Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,

that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.

And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;

prosper the work of our hands for us!

Prosper the work of our hands!

Reading 2 COL 3:1-5, 9-11 

 Brothers and sisters:

If you were raised with Christ, seek what is above,

where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.

Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.

For you have died,

and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ your life appears,

then you too will appear with him in glory.

Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly:

immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire,

and the greed that is idolatry.

Stop lying to one another,

since you have taken off the old self with its practices

and have put on the new self,

which is being renewed, for knowledge,

in the image of its creator.

Here there is not Greek and Jew,

circumcision and uncircumcision,

barbarian, Scythian, slave, free;

but Christ is all and in all.

Alleluia MT 5:3

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are the poor in spirit,  for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel LK 12:13-21 

Someone in the crowd said to Jesus,

“Teacher, tell my brother to share the inheritance with me.”

He replied to him,

“Friend, who appointed me as your judge and arbitrator?”

Then he said to the crowd,

“Take care to guard against all greed,

for though one may be rich,

one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

Then he told them a parable.

“There was a rich man whose land produced a bountiful harvest.

He asked himself, ‘What shall I do,

for I do not have space to store my harvest?’

And he said, ‘This is what I shall do:

I shall tear down my barns and build larger ones.

There I shall store all my grain and other goods

and I shall say to myself, “Now as for you,

you have so many good things stored up for many years,

rest, eat, drink, be merry!”’

But God said to him,

‘You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you;

and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?’

Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves

but are not rich in what matters to God.”

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