31 July 2022 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,
vanity of vanities! All is vanity. because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.
From Ecclesiastes 1:2,2:21-23, NRSV
We hear today perhaps some of the most difficult to understand words from the Scriptures. The writer seems to be suggesting that life itself is futile and worthless and that all of our efforts to live with any sense of purpose are in vain. Such feelings can affect us all at times when we see those who do wrong seeming to prosper and when our own good efforts seem to be wasted. It may help to have some awareness of the context in which these words were written. For many who lived at the time when these words were written, there was a strong belief that happiness and fulfilment would be found in wealth and achievements. Perhaps the author wanted such people to question the certainties by which they lived. For us, these words are perhaps also a useful reminder of the value of living our lives within the context of faith rather than measuring everything by our own efforts.
- Why do you think the writer repeatedly uses the word “vanity”?
- How can we find purpose and meaning in our lives?
Pray today for those who feel that their lives have no value – and for those who care for them.
