Ecclesiastes 1:2

Rendering to God what belongs to Him

We just returned from a trip to the mountains of Colorado. As beautiful as they are, the views would mean little without someone to share them with (in my case, my husband and children). The book of Ecclesiastes (arguably written by King David’s son, Solomon) is a treatise on mankind’s foolish attempts to wring meaning out of the things of this world.

Antidote to emptiness

St. Paul tells us the antidote to our emptiness: Look for the things that are above in heaven (see Col 3:1). Since we belong to God who is in heaven, all that we do also belongs to God—that is—if we choose to give it freely back to Him Who is the distributor of all justice.

Avarice feeds emptiness

If we cling tightly to earthly things (i.e. wealth, power, popularity) we become an empty wasteland inside.

All our toil is not in vain

If I have the courage to let go of my greed (which will consume me) and recognize all pass through His hand, then my toil is in fact not in vain, because it leads me to my proper end, which is God. Because of this, my treasure (please God) and yours, will be in heaven with Jesus–the “pearl of great price” (see Mt 13:46), https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/13.

Solomon’s conversion

Tradition says though King Solomon turned away from God by living a life of debauchery and decadence, the Book of Ecclesiastes was his last testament of his gift of supernatural wisdom (ironically after years of living a vain and foolish lifestyle) before turning back to God on his death bed.

God’s mercy

May we all experience God’s mercy in the same way, as He continuously calls us back from our own avarice of the things of this world.