The Old Testament’s Book of Ecclesiastes is one of those sacred texts perhaps most fully appreciated by those in the second half of their own lives. For a young person to read these observations – from what scholars call Jewish Wisdom literature – might produce cynicism and needless ridicule. Those who’ve “been around the block” (not an Old Testament turn of phrase), who’ve confronted the painful dilemmas of life and the frustrations of being virtuous sometimes inadequate reward, while at the same time witnessing those who are publically less-than-virtuous reaping outsized rewards . . . to them Ecclesiastes will speak volumes. To the elders I say, as did Ecclesiastes, enjoy the genuine blessings of your life in all it’s various ways! Read the entire book (there are only twelve chapters) at one leisurely sitting (aloud if you are able) and you will drink from a true fountain of good sense and insight.

Today’s first lesson, a weaving of two short passages from Ecclesiastes, leaves a dark cloud over the hearers. As engineered in the lectionary, this is at best a caution to neither place too much trust in life’s illusive pleasures nor to be too discouraged by life’s inevitable setbacks. While no possession in life is permanent, indeed from a Gospel perspective four centuries later, that reality ought not discourage believers from living life fully and well. The reality is that life is very messy! The Cross of Christ (outside of genuine eras of persecution) becomes the Gospel metaphor for our embrace of that reality. Good people must “carry the cross” and eventually may well feel nailed to it. But, again, be encouraged into reading the entire book of Ecclesiastes in order to appreciate the realism and the mature balance of it’s nameless author’s wisdom. While attributed to King Solomon of the 10^th Century BC, its language is more likely that of the late 300s BC in a time before widespread Jewish belief in an afterlife, and in an era in which Ancient Judaism experienced anguished complexities of what we today call globalism. Their globalism under Greek political and cultural hegemony produced serious destabilization to Jewish culture much as it seems to often do to many cultures and situations today. The economic disparities between and among people then was just as disheartening as it is now. The wise and the virtuous seemed short-changed. The evil-doers seemed to be rewarded. Not much has changed over 23 or 24 centuries.

But the Gospel text paired with this Old Testament passage remembers Jesus as forcefully instructing his disciples to be thoughtful and reflective, and thus to consider the bigger picture of life, even in (maybe, especially in) tough times. Jesus, who claimed to be most intimate with God, and in that privileged relationship to more fully appreciate the reality of relativity in earthly life, spoke a great wisdom. Worldly riches are indeed transitory. Place not your hope in them. Rather, avoid greed in all its forms. Christian theological and spiritual reflection will heed that caution and make love and gratitude the better virtues for which to strive.

The genuine need of many adults today is for some sort of practical and interior quiet time and interior silence during which to be thoughtful and reflective, and in which to rest and pray. This is the thematic message in the Colossians text of the second reading. This is the fourth consecutive citation from this letter in as many Sundays. We’ve heard the letter’s reflection on the Christological description of the Risen Jesus, an exhortation to keep in mind the metaphor of the Cross, to reflect often on what was professed and embraced at Baptism, and now, to engage those most noble and lofty of virtues, and hope to be ever-more one with the Risen Christ who is “all in all.” The Gospel will be fully appreciated to the extent one reflects on it as a practical invitation of the most Mysterious God of life, love and hope. Thoughtless people will reduce the Gospel message to the minimum: “What must I do to be saved?” Thoughtful believers will work against fear and laziness, and will ask instead, “What else may I do in order to live the Gospel fully and faithfully?” Thoughtful believers live the Gospel fully by embracing the Cross. By embracing the Cross, they engage in life’s joys and sorrows, they take risks for prudent reasons. Thoughtful believers move beyond ethnicity, gender, religion, nationality, and all those measures of separation and division into which themselves are merely transitory. Only the Gospel, the Cross and deliberate thoughtfulness lead one most fully to Christ and to real life. And engaging life is precisely why Jesus came to Earth. “I have come that they might have life and have it most fully!” (John 10).

The Gospel Message is not a set of rules or even an absolute set of values. It is both permission and command to engage life fully and wisely, compassionately and prayerfully. The fruit of such an engaged, adult, intelligent life is comprised of the blessings which are worth more than money or power or status can provide. Fear diminishes, joy deepens, love spreads, and wisdom provides appreciative insight into the true blessings of life and the Mysterious God who provides all that is good.