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18th Sunday of Year C – 2019

“I have s tried everything and I could not get satisfied.”

These words spoken today correspond to the experience of Qohelet
(this Hebrew word refers to someone addressing an assembly, or ‘the Preacher’)
described in today’s 1st reading (Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23). 

What did this man really want?
Satisfaction from all his efforts – efforts to achieve a life of contentment:
he was trying to taste some enjoyment and pleasure.

But his experience is one of suffering, dissatisfaction, restlessness,
as he realizes that he has worked much and…
what he has gained he must leave to someone else who has not done anything to obtain it!

But in fact, that man was looking – not for pleasure – but for MEANING.
This is what a human being is most in need of: meaning.
The meaning of life… and the meaning of death too!

Who among us has not, one day, asked those existential questions:

  • Where do we come from?
  • Why are we here on this earth?
  • Where are we going?

Qohelet complains that: “Everything is vanity” – in this context vanity means futility.
It refers to something pointless, useless, meaningless…
 
What is the point of getting up in the morning, rushing to work, laboring the whole day.
returning home at night to find there… many problems… go to bed to start again the next day…
Indeed what is the point?

There is NO point unless one has found… the meaning.
An on-going search perhaps?…

Note: Another reflection is available on a different theme in French at: https://image-i-nations.com/18e-dimanche-de-lannee-c-2019/

And in a video, (also in French) Rachel (personified by Nathalie Ménard) asks herself: ‘Is that all there is to life?’ ‘Est-ce tout ce qu’il y a dans la vie?’ https://youtu.be/k6wStCaBH6U
 

Source: Image: Knowing-Jesus.com

1st Sunday of Lent, Year A

  We are all familiar with the use of magnets. A mechanic finds very useful a screwdriver with a magnet to gather screws and bolts.
A seamstress also sees as very practical her scissors with a magnet to pick up pins scattered on the floor.
And many of us have those small magnetic items stuck on the door of the fridge as ‘Bear in mind’ message holders.

These items exert a strong pull on different objects and, as such, I find them an excellent example to illustrate what… temptation is!
For this is very much the theme of this 1st Sunday of Lent, Year A.

What is a temptation really?
We all know it… from experience!
It is a strong pull, a powerful urge awakening in us a desire.
It leads us to want, to want urgently, absolutely, something… someone…

The scene of Jesus’ temptations in today’s gospel (Mt.4:1-11) shows temptation emerging mostly in 3 areas – the areas of… the 3 Ps: Pride – Power – Pleasure.

And our own lives will provide occasions a-plenty, for temptation to manifest itself in the same 3 areas:

PRIDE: Too much arrogance – Not enough respect for others.
POWER: Too much domination – Not enough compassion.
PLEASURE: Too much selfish enjoyment – Not enough true joy shared with others.

Lent is a good period to look precisely at this: the too much and the not enough aspects of our lives and… to increase and to diminish the respective amounts according to the gospel message!

Source: Images:  www.dhgate.com;  Amazon.com;; AliExpress.com;  storiesnow.com