“Vanity of vanities! All things are vanity! What profit has man from all the labor which he toils at under the sun? One generation passes and another comes but the world forever stays.”
These words in scripture from the book of Ecclesiastes, may have echoed in our own hearts at some point in our lives. If you’ve ever felt down, or had a good case of depression, things can seem pretty hopeless at times. Life can seem a little futile. Have you ever thought to yourself, what have I done with my life that really even mattered? Have I made a difference in the world because of my life? When we look back at all the struggles, heartaches, joys and effort that we have put into various activities in life, it can make you wonder if you focused your life on the right things or not. A perfectly manicured yard for an example, takes a lot of work, time, money and effort, and yet it has no lasting value. As soon as we quit working on it, nature takes its course again. Sometimes, pulling the weeds can seem futile, because they just keep coming back.
The first reading today continues, saying:
“What has been, that will be; what has been done, that will be done. Nothing is new under the sun. Even the thing of which we say, ‘See, this is new!’ has already existed in the ages that preceded us.”
Every generation that is born thinks that they have come up with a new, novel way of living. Usually that means rejecting what their elders have taught them, to think for themselves what is good. Sin is actually pretty boring though, there are only so many ways you can sin. The seven deadly sins are but a handful: pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy and sloth. These sins are repeated over and over again, in varying degrees or combinations throughout the centuries.
Sinners are boring but saints are fascinating. If you stop to think about it, there are an infinite number of ways to become a saint. The saints are as unique as their fingerprints, in how they interpreted the gospel and lived it out in their lives. No two saints are alike. Their lives are very interesting. Sins like stealing, murder or adultery are pretty cut and dried. There are only so many ways you can commit these sins. However, the lives of the saints shine with their own unique light, similar to the different kinds of precious gems, that are very unique in their color, cut, size, and clarity. The saints must adorn heaven in such a beautiful way. We long to meet them, and to become more like them, but there is no single pattern for becoming a saint. Each diamond is cut, according to the size and nature of the stone itself, and we are no different. There will never be another person like us, that exists on the earth. That is actually a pretty awesome thing.
The gospel is so short and sweet today, you might think there isn’t very much to it. Herod heard all of the news about Jesus and he was greatly perplexed. Some of the people thought that Jesus was actually John, who came back from the dead, or the prophet Elijah, or one of the ancient prophets. They kept trying to fit Jesus into a particular mold. It’s kind of like how many people try to imitate a particular saint’s life, when really, each person is unique in their own way. There is no mold that is a one size fits all. Jesus broke the mold when he was born. He was the most unique, and interesting person that mankind has ever known. The gospel today ended by telling us that Herod kept trying to see Jesus, and it was because Jesus was so unique, and different than everyone else he had ever come across.
The scriptures today remind us that we are each a very unique, person. We are made in the image and likeness of God, and we are all saints in the making. Our fingerprints and outward appearance is completely different than every other person who has ever existed. There is something ‘new under the sun’, and that is us. The generations pass, one after another, people commit the same sins or the same virtues, but yet there is no one else quite like us. That’s what people will remember about us too, if we live our lives with God’s grace and become the best person that we were meant to be. Not what anyone else expects us to be, but the best that God created us to be.
We are precious in God’s eyes, and not just another number in the crowd. Jesus loves us personally, and comes to us in a personal way, whenever we receive him in holy communion at Mass. We are special and valued in his eyes, and we shouldn’t ever forget this. Jesus died for us, and we are his. He calls us by name. How we answer his call, is what makes our life unique, rewarding, and interesting.
Daily Mass Readings:
Ecclesiastes 1: 2-11 / Psalm 90 / Luke 9: 7-9
