20200924 SEEK FOR THE ETERNAL MEANING
24 September, 2020, Thursday, 25th Week, Ordinary Time
Readings at Mass
Liturgical Colour: Green.
First reading |
Ecclesiastes 1:2-11 © |
Nothing is new and all is vanity
Vanity of vanities, the Preacher says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it?
A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. 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. Take anything of which it may be said, ‘Look now, this is new.’ Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 89(90):3-6,12-14,17 © |
O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
You turn men back to dust
and say: ‘Go back, sons of men.’
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
no more than a watch in the night.
O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
You sweep men away like a dream,
like the grass which springs up in the morning.
In the morning it springs up and flowers:
by evening it withers and fades.
O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
Make us know the shortness of our life
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?
Show pity to your servants.
O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
In the morning, fill us with your love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:
give success to the work of our hands.
O Lord, you have been our refuge from one generation to the next.
Gospel Acclamation | Ps118:18 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open my eyes, O Lord, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
Alleluia!
Or: | Jn14:6 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, says the Lord;
No one can come to the Father except through me.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Luke 9:7-9 © |
'John? I beheaded him; so who is this?'
Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see Jesus.
SEEK FOR THE ETERNAL MEANING
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [ECCLESIASTES 1:2-11; LUKE 9:7-9]
“‘Vanity of vanities’, the Preacher says. ‘Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it?'” The author, reflecting on life, sees this life as a vanity. The word “vanity” means something that vanishes in the air, something passing, transient and empty. It is like chasing after the wind.
Why vanity? Simply because whatever we do, is passing. Whatever we accumulate, we will have to leave behind. Whatever we do will be undone. Whatever achievements we have made will be forgotten. History keeps on repeating itself, just like creation. “A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm forever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go.”
This is because we have poor memories. We never study or learn from history. We are forgetful. This is what Ecclesiastes says. “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. Take anything of which it may be said, ‘Look now, this is new.’ Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered.”
Indeed, for those of us who chase after the things of this world, not only will we find life wearisome but also upon arriving at our goals in life, a successful career, a big house, wealth and possessions, we will find life rather empty. When we look back, after having expanded all our energy, time and resources to attain these pursuits, we will find that the things we have acquired do not last, nor give us the happiness and fulfilment that the world promised. We feel cheated and short-changed.
This was the same experience of King Herod. He allowed pleasure, power and glory to control him. For the sake of lust, he married his brother’s wife, Herodias. For the sake of his pride, he allowed Herodias’ daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Indeed, he got what he wanted, but now he lived in fear and guilt. He had no peace, only nightmares. “Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was being done by Jesus; and he was puzzled because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead, others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life. But Herod said, “John? I beheaded him. So who is this I hear such reports about?” And he was anxious to see Jesus.” He was afraid that John the Baptist might have come back to take revenge on him. He began to imagine that Jesus was John the Baptist resuscitated.
This is why we must seek for things that last, things eternal. We need not be doomed like Ecclesiastes who found no answer to his question and concluded that everything is vanity of vanity. He could not see the plan of God in all these. He saw everything as meaningless. Hence, he challenges us to see the bigger picture of life rather than just the events themselves. These events come and go. If we focus on the daily issues of life, we are dealing with vanities because they do not last. Rather, we should be asking the ultimate questions of life. What is our purpose on earth? Where did we come from? Where are we going? These are questions which we try to avoid when we are young, or things are going well for us. But when we meet with tragedies, we have to face the stark reality of the meaning and purpose of life. Even Herod was forced to confront it himself.
Right from the outset, we must say that things are not cyclical. Things do not simply go nowhere or in circles. On the contrary, things in Christian understanding is linear. History is moving towards consummation and fulfilment. History is not cyclical, repeating itself but being purified, renewed and transfigured by the gospel. Irenaeus’ doctrine of recapitulation is one example of how the Church Fathers see the salvation of humanity. Recapitulation implies repetition. Jesus repeated history by surpassing the three covenants with Adam, Noah and Abraham. Jesus completed the process of restoration of creation by transforming it to perfection. “With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Eph 1:9f) Christ is the head of the Church, His body. “You have come to fullness in him, who is the head of every ruler and authority.” (Col 2:10)
Jesus Christ is the One who can recapitulate creation and bring it to perfection. We must ask the same question that Herod also asked, “Who is this man?” to find the answer to things eternal. If we are seeking for the ultimate meaning of life, then we must turn to our Lord. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The life, passion, death and resurrection of our Lord explains to us our identity, our destiny and our place on this earth. The paschal mystery is the answer to sin and death. More than just an answer, it is the solution as well. For by His death, sin is overcome, hatred is won over by love, death by life. Jesus is revealed as the Son of God to whom we are called to share in His life. “It is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ – if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.” (Rom 8:16f)
Indeed, the official response of the Church to the mysteries of life is found in the Constitution of the Church in the Modern World. “Nevertheless, in the face of the modern development of the world, the number constantly swells of the people who raise the most basic questions or recognize them with a new sharpness: what is man? What is this sense of sorrow, of evil, of death, which continues to exist despite so much progress? What purpose have these victories purchased at so high a cost? What can man offer to society, what can he expect from it? What follows this earthly life? The Church firmly believes that Christ, who died and was raised up for all, can through His Spirit offer man the light and the strength to measure up to his supreme destiny. Nor has any other name under the heaven been given to man by which it is fitting for him to be saved. She likewise holds that in her most benign Lord and Master can be found the key, the focal point and the goal of man, as well as of all human history. The Church also maintains that beneath all changes there are many realities which do not change and which have their ultimate foundation in Christ, Who is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever. Hence under the light of Christ, the image of the unseen God, the firstborn of every creature, the council wishes to speak to all men in order to shed light on the mystery of man and to cooperate in finding the solution to the outstanding problems of our time.” (Gaudium et Spes, 10)
Today, if we want to find peace amid our daily life struggles, we must find peace in our Lord. Only Jesus can give us peace and assurance of our sojourn on earth. The Lord makes it clear. “For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life?” (Mt 16:25f) And what is life for our Lord? It is to do the Father’s will, which is to serve Him and humanity. He made it clear that “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:28) Indeed, Jesus also reminds us, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (Jn 8:31f) So instead of feeling lost in life and confused at the events of life which we do not understand, like our Lord, we must commend our lives to His Father as He did on the cross. In this way, we will see Him one day, face to face in heaven and will be like Him. (1 Jn 3:2)
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment