Vanity of Vanities

Thursday of the Twenty fifth Week in Ordinary Time &
Wencelsaus, Martyr and Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs

Biographical Information about Wencelsaus, Martyr and Lorenzo Ruiz and Companions, Martyrs

Readings for Thursday of the 25th Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Eccl 1:2-11

Responsorial Psalm Ps 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17bc
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Gospel Lk 9:7-96

Homily:

“Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” Ecclesiastes laments at the beginning of his treatise on the value and purpose of human life. Like most of us, he seeks on earth something which can only be revealed completely when we are face to face with God. In some respects he is like Herod in Luke’s Gospel today who we hear “was greatly perplexed” because of what was being said about Jesus by those who did not know or understand who he was.

Herod was seeking information. He was already greatly disturbed because in a moment when he was overcome by his own lust and probably drink, he had done something he was now clearly regretting – he had put John the Baptist to death and presented his head to the daughter of his adulterous mistress. Yes, Herod was perplexed, more likely he was thinking that the retribution of God was at hand and was desperate to avoid the consequences of his actions.

Still, Herod was seeking to know the person was whose disciples, as we heard yesterday were going about his kingdom curing people of illness and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. We wonder what would have happened if he ever found out who was truly walking through his earthly kingdom.

Both Ecclesiastes and Herod were seeking to understand how the Lord was working in their lives. Ecclesiastes, a holy person, seems at the beginning of his treatise to be despairing his ability to understand what is hidden. Herod, a cruel despot, feels more fear at his lack of more physical knowledge. They have one more thing in common. Neither of them have knowledge of the Christ. The Messiah who came into the world that we might know God’s great love for us and our fear be turned to peace.

Ecclesiastes has it right in one sense. Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity if we assume that we can accomplish anything of value on our own without God’s help. Indeed we are conceited if we think we can understand all the complexities of God’s creation if we try to do so without his guidance and wisdom. For God created us and all things. For Him, nothing is hidden and only through Him can we find the path that leads to peace in this life and eternal life with him in the next.

Amen