Liturgy of the Word:

Eccl. 1:2; 2:21-23;

Ps. 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17;

Col. 3:1-5, 9-11;

Lk. 12:13-21.

N.B. Today, St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney Sunday, Mass collections are for the ongoing formation of the clergy. Tomorrow is the feast day of St. John Baptiste Marie Vianney.

1. 1st Reading, Eccl. 1:2; 2:21-23 — Vanity of Vanities. “The words of David’s son, Qoheleth, king of Jerusalem” (v. 1). The author of Ecclesiastes or Ecclesiasticus identifies himself with the wise King Solomon of Jerusalem. Qoheleth can mean preacher or speaker. Some scholars say that Qoheleth is Solomon himself.

2. “Vanity of vanities,” says Qoheleth. “All things are vanity!” (v. 2). Everything is futile and empty. A person “toils with wisdom, knowledge, and skill,” yet his legacy is left to another (v. 21). Mortals toil with anxiety of heart, heavy with sorrow and grief, and restless even at night, but they gain no profit (vv. 22-23).

3. Life would seem to be completely meaningless and empty. But Qoheleth’s words, “toiling under the sun,” provides an alternative. If our view of life goes beyond “under the sun” or beyond the earthly, life would not be the “vanity of vanities.”

4. Resp. Ps. 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14, 17 — A Prayer of Moses, God’s Eternity and Human Frailty. “Lord, you turn humanity back into dust, saying, ‘Return, you children of Adam!’” (v. 3). “A thousand years in your eyes are merely a day gone by” (v. 4). “They sleep, and in the morning, they sprout again like an herb,” which blooms only to wilt and wither in the evening (vv. 5-6). These verses about the frailty of human life seem to echo Qoheleth.

5. “Teach us to count our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. Relent, O Lord! How long? Have pity on your servants! Fill us at daybreak with your mercy” that we may sing for joy (vv. 12-14). “May the favor of the Lord, our God, be ours. Prosper the work of our hands!” (v. 17). The Psalmist articulates what Qoheleth implies as beyond “under the sun,” beyond the earthly. He prays to God to “prosper the work” of toilers.

6. 2nd Reading, Col. 3:1-5, 9-11 — Mystical Death and Resurrection. Through Baptism, we were raised with Christ to a life of grace from the death of sin. Hence, we must seek what is above, what is heavenly, and not what is of earth (vv. 1-3). Christ is our life, and when he appears, we too will appear with him in glory (v. 4).

7. Therefore, we must put to death (renounce) what is earthly: “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and the greed that is idolatry” (v. 5). We have “to stop lying to one another,” because we have taken off our “old self” and have put on a “new self, which is being renewed for knowledge, in the image of its Creator” (vv. 9-10).

8. Paul urges the Colossians and us to leave behind our old ways of thinking and living. Instead, we are to live in accord with our new selves, risen with Christ, and becoming more and more like our Creator.

9. “Here there is not Greek (Gentile) and Jew, circumcision or uncircumcision, barbarian, Schythian, slave, free; but Christ is all and in all” (v. 11).

God promised Abraham that through one of his descendants, all nations will be blessed (Gen. 22:18). This promise is the hope of prophets and psalmists alike (see Is. 19:6; Ps. 67). It is now fulfilled by Abraham’s descendant, Jesus, who now calls his Church to make disciples of “all nations” (cf. Mt. 28:18-20), and to be his witnesses to the ends of earth (see Acts 1:8).

10. Gospel, Lk. 12:13-21 — On Greed and Riches.

Answering a question regarding a dispute of inheritance between two brothers, Jesus says, “Take care to guard against all greed...for one’s life does not consist of possessions” (vv. 13-15).

Then he tells a parable. A rich man has a bountiful harvest. He says to himself that he has to build larger barns to store his harvest, so that he would “rest, eat, drink, and be merry” (vv. 16-19). But God says to him, “You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” (v. 20). “Thus, will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God” (v. 21).

11. A radical detachment from material possessions and acknowledgement that our possessions are treasures for God’s glory are attributes of a life in accord with the “new self” in Christ.

12. Prayer — Draw near to us, your servants, O Lord, and answer our prayers with unceasing kindness. We pray that for us who glory in you as our Creator and guide, you may restore what you have created and keep safe what you have restored, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Prayers, best wishes, God bless!