Vanity of vanities

Saturday July 31, 2021

Vanity of vanities

Vanity of vanities, says Ecclesiastes, vanity of vanities, all is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1.2

Ecclesiastes shows us that nothing that we see in the world is solid. He advises us not to passionately seek out the things that are perishing. These expressions in the Bible : "a passing cloud", "a little smoke", "a vapor" (Job 7.9 ; Psalm 102.4 ; James 4.14), make us aware of the fragility of our life. There is nothing that lasts forever. When we look at the elements of the world and reflect on their short duration, we cannot help saying : "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity." All these regular movements of nature and all our daily pains are a continual reminder that we are getting older and that our life is heading towards its end and its rest.

Let us not be fools who prefer the shine of present and passing goods to the eternal life that Jesus promises to those who believe in him. See, even the brightest stars in the sky vanish at sunrise.

The same thing happens with the things of the world when we look at the gospel of Christ. The book of Ecclesiastes prompts us to look to our Creator before our days become dark... It is only the goods of God that endure forever. Now Jesus, whom God sent to save us, has the words of eternal life (John 6:68) !

Dominique Moreau

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Proposed reading : Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 12.

Source (Live Today)