Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Vincent de Paul

Eccl 1: 2-11; Luke 9: 7-9

By Deacon Larry Brockman

So, “Nothing is new under the sun”.  And yet, our culture would like us to think otherwise.  Run out and get your new I-phone 5; or the new 3D TV technology; a new car with hybrid technology; or the latest in this year’s fashions.  We are getting close to the big shopping season when we will be told of all kinds of things new under the sun that we should run out and be the first to get.  But not according to our first reading.  So, which way is it?  

Well, it’s pretty clear the Bible, and not our society, has it right.  No matter how important any of the things of this life may seem to us, they are ultimately all passing away.  We can’t take them with us; and they don’t have any meaning where we all hope to go anyway. 

So what is the point of that first reading- to depress us?  I think not; rather, I think it is meant to uplift us.  Because these words from Ecclesiastes remind us that the world, and all the things that are of this world, whether they be fame, riches, power, possessions- whatever it may be of the world that captures our fancy- don’t make us happy.  Oh, they may fascinate us for a while, but eventually we get bored with them and ultimately they go away.  What remains is God and things of God.  The gifts of the Holy Spirit include Joy and Peace- these are the things that bring ultimate happiness.  And we have each other, because we form the body of Christ.  Lastly, we have the promise of everlasting life if we believe in God and His revelation to us; but we have to believe it enough to live our faith.  Those are the sources of happiness that lasts.

It isn’t so much that we should reject the things of the world but rather that we put them into the proper perspective.  They are gifts; we are stewards; and some of us have been more fortunate than others.  Consider that John the Baptist was very fortunate in the eyes of God.  He was, in Jesus’ own words, the greatest of men born of a woman, yett poor relative to the least in the Kingdom of God.  John lived a Spartan life; and did not hang on to the things of this world.  But He just did the will of God- acting as Jesus herald.  Look what happened to him in as told in today’s Gospel.  He was beheaded by the man of power.  Today, we honor John as saint; and can only hope that Herod repented of his way.  

Today is the feast of St. Vincent de Paul.  How appropriate that we be reminded today that the things of this world are passing.  Because if we can learn to share what we have rather than hoard it, we will have all learned the lesson of our first reading min a spirit of joy.  That all things are vanity, and there is nothing new under the sun.