Vanity of vanity

Eccl. 1:2-11, Lk. 9:7-9. Today's first reading provides us with food for thought with a dark summary of life. To unravel the absurdity found in life, we are invited to reflect on the meaninglessness and the vanity of many things present in life. Qoheleth (the preacher) brings up a fact to help us understand life; everything is transient and temporary in nature. Life is not worth living unless we seek for Divine wisdom. The preacher examined all kinds of human dealings, but with most of them he found fault: “All things are wearisome. No man can say that eyes have not had enough of seeing, ears their fill of hearing. What was will be again; what has been done will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun.” As mortals we are limited in changing the events of things in life until we reach the end of our life in this world. That means that putting our trust in the things of this world is to work in futility. We find such absurdity and a pursuit after shadows in the hearts of those who trust in wealth, possessions, properties, fame, glory, human praise and status. There is none among those things that will be ours forever and shall not bring any of those with us to the world after death.

As recounted in today's Gospel, Herod the Tetrarch lived in such absurdity of life and became slaves of his conscience. Herod was curious about Jesus, but his curiosity did not lead to faith. He wanted to see the famous prophet from Nazareth that everyone was talking about, curious to know if He was in any way related to John the Baptist, whom he had executed at the whim of his step-daughter. Herod got to see Jesus, during the Lord’s Passion, when he had Him mocked as a King (Lk. 23:8). The Gospel writer saw Herod as a shallow, cynical ruler, who respected neither God nor man. Herod’s example is a wake-up call against cynicism in our attitudes. We also want to see Jesus, but it is in order to know Him more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly.

May the Lord help us with noble and edifying thoughts and may we constantly seek the face of God! Amen!! Good morning and do have a pleasant day!!!