Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23
|
Ecclesiastes is unusual among the books that make up the Bible. Part of the Wisdom Tradition, the work was composed by an unknown Jewish thinker around the Third Century B. C. Unlike books which relate part of Israel’s history or interpret its laws and traditions, the Book of Ecclesiastes ruminates on the meaning of life. Faced with the leveling power of death, the author focuses on the passing nature of all things. In the end, he does not provide answers or explanations, but he counsels a healthy awareness of the transitory vanity that fills our lives. Since all will pass, people should work reasonably to support themselves, but they should not hoard possessions or seek luxury. Instead, they should appreciate the ordinary joys of life and accept the difficulties they encounter. This particular passage points out the foolishness of toiling for a lifetime to accumulate possessions that will only pass to a potentially ungrateful and lazy heir. This observation may seem crass, but it is rooted in a refreshing realism. The author is honest about the struggles of life and has a clear-headed perspective about the things that so often distract and obsess people.
|
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6,
|
Psalm 90 likely served for communal prayer. Its themes are well suited to the accompanying readings from the lectionary. It recalls the time of testing and stubbornness in the desert and counsels openness to God and to God's will. By contrast with the trustworthiness of God, the Psalmist reminds of the fickle and transitory nature of human beings. Their time is short and the need to return to the Lord all the more acute. |
Colossians 3:1-5,
|
This passage from Colossians offers a list of vices to be avoided by the Christian community. An exhortation to virtuous living follows the vice list. Similar language may be found in the philosophical writings of that day, but this message distinguishes itself by the context in which the exhortation is set. The Colossians are to avoid vice and practice virtue because of the new living made possible by Christ. Although they live in the time between the earthly ministry of Jesus and His return in glory, even now they may experience the effects of their baptism: their dying and rising with the Lord. With this new reality and new perspective, a new way of living becomes possible. |
Luke 12:13-21
|
In the passage from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus continues to journey toward Jerusalem with the disciples and chance encounters allow Jesus to address various topics. In this case, a man in the crowd makes a request for Jesus’ help in an inheritance dispute. Jesus uses the occasion to address the danger of greed and share a parable of a rich but foolish man. The man has grown so rich in possessions that he must tear down and rebuild facilities to store it all. In the culture of Jesus’ day, people believed that there was a set amount of wealth in the world with no notion that overall wealth could increase. Therefore, a person could only become wealthy at the expense of others. While the culture valued goods, it looked upon those who accumulated possessions far beyond their needs with great suspicion and even hostility. It is just this sort of accumulation that Jesus condemns in this parable. Nevertheless, Jesus’ parable reaches beyond the cultural notions of His day. If we pay close attention, we see that the man’s actions are indeed selfish. Notice the number of times we hear “I” and “my.” The man is completely unaware of anyone else or the effect of his actions upon others. His selfishness is compounded by foolishness because he does not remember the lesson of Ecclesiastes. He has spent his life in the accumulation of riches that are now utterly useless to him at the end of his life. As he hoarded wealth, he squandered the time he might have used to cultivate that which matters to God: generosity and compassion. |
