“Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you must return.”
18th Week in Ordinary Time: Sunday 4th August 2019
Qoh/(Eccl) 1:2; 2:21-23; Ps. 90(89):3-4,5-6,
12-13,17; Col. 3:1-5,9-11; Lk. 12:13-21 (Ps Wk II)
Though Qoheleth does not use the word “death” in this short passage from his book, nevertheless he is reflecting on the fact that the reality and inevitability of death puts everything we do on earth into a very special perspective.
No matter how we read Qoheleth, whether we think he is too cynical or pessimistic, he is expressing in his own way a number of truths which people, including saints, have reflected on in different ways throughout the ages. One of these ideas is expressed as “Remember, man, that you are dust and unto dust you must return.”
Another expression is “look at everything from the persopective of eternity.” Jesus puts all this doctrine into his parable of the Rich Fool. We should not be misled by avarice, or any other human failing, to presume that we know or can control the length of our life.
In accordance with our faith in the Resurrection, St Paul put all of this teaching more positively: “Since you have been brought back to true life with Christ, you must seek the things that are in heaven.”
Lord, let us not love this passing world so much that we are in danger of losing the joys of heaven.
