Seek What Has Real Value: Reflections on the Readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle C

Ecclesiastes 1:2, 2:21-23
Psalm 90
Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Luke 12:13-21

Who is this guy Qoholeth? In the Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition (RSV-2CE) translation of the Bible, Qoholeth identifies himself as “Preacher.” The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), from which our readings in America are taken, explains in the introduction to this book: “The Hebrew name of this book and of its author, Qoheleth, is actually a title, and it perhaps means “assembler” (of students, listeners) or “collector” (of wisdom sayings). The book’s more common name, Ecclesiastes, is an approximate translation into Greek of this Hebrew word.” Bible scholars believe he was either Solomon or someone of Solomon’s “school.”

The reading today begins with the declaration, “vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” One of the definitions of vanity is “lack of real value” (dictionary.com). And that is appropriate because the selection today is doing just that, questioning the value of things that most people reach for.

There is a large gap between the opening statement and main body of today’s reading. In the missing section we find some of the questions Qoholeth is attempting to investigate, some information about himself, his investigation into life, and the seeming lack of return on investment for bettering oneself.

In the remainder of today’s reading Qoholeth is basically questioning the value of toil when someone else will end up with his property (e.g., when he dies). This brings to mind Psalm 127 which begins, “Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain who build.” Similarly, in St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians he tells us that our labors in the Lord are not in vain.

The responsorial psalm picks up on this theme noting the vanishing appearance of things such as events that are past and the wilting of grass at the end of the day. The Lord speaks to us, telling us to return to Him. Are we listening? “If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

As the psalmist indicates, our days are numbered so we need to “number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart.” Time is different where God is concerned. “For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night.” Life on earth is fleeting; eternity is forever.

St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians tells us to separate ourselves from earthly things. As happens frequently, there is a gap in what was chosen for the Sunday readings which sometimes leaves out information important for our edification. In this case Paul tells us the reason for separating ourselves from earthly things is because the wrath of God is coming and those who are disobedient will pay the price. If you are a true follower of Jesus you must put on a new self. Jesus calls us to change. He tells us to come as we are, but in order to follow Him we must change.

It continues the trend of these readings telling us to look to God first. “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” Jesus taught consistently that we need to put God first. In Matthew’s gospel He tells his disciples, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, ... But store up treasures in heaven, ... For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.” Proper prioritization will show benefits in your earthly work as well. “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next … It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in;’ aim at earth and you will get neither.” (italics added) C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. Similarly, in Matthew’s gospel Jesus tells us, “Seek first his kingdom … and all these things shall be yours as well.” (6:33)

Christ is the great unifier. Put away your sinful life (“immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed that is idolatry. Stop lying to one another, ...”), and “put on the new self” to be like Christ. In fact, the things Paul lists are not just of no value where Heaven is concerned, they actually have negative value (e.g., they are sins). This applies to everyone, gentile or Jew, slave or free, etc., for Christ “is all and in all.”

It is always important to look at what comes before and after the reading selections to get a full picture of the context. This selection from Colossians is a good example. Not only was there important information in the gap of the reading but what comes after also includes an important part of not only Paul’s message, but Jesus’ message as well: “And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”

The gospel reading continues the lesson that our hope is not in possessions. It’s the timeless story of “you can’t take it with you.” Like the reading from Ecclesiastes, “the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?” Furthermore, it reiterates the lesson of priorities as we do not know when our lives will be demanded of us.

Jesus tells the crowd to avoid greed (see St. Paul’s advice to the Colossians above). “Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.” After the parable of the greedy rich man who was preparing for the wrong future, Jesus says, “Thus will it be for all who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich in what matters to God.”

The lessons from these readings follow and build on the readings from the last few weeks. Last week the focus was on the importance of prayer, which is communicating with God and putting Him first. The previous two weeks Jesus emphasized loving God (greatest commandment) and loving our neighbors (Good Samaritan), but He emphasized the priority that God must come first when He told Martha that “Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken from her.”

Here the emphasis is again on God and storing up what will be of value for preparing us for Heaven. The consistent lesson keeps coming back to loving God first and then loving our neighbors as ourselves. As Qoholeth tells us in Ecclesiastes, all else is vanity (and of no value in Heaven).