Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Catholic
Religion News
Vanity of Vanities and Bigger Barns

Vanity of Vanities and Bigger Barns

Last updated on: August 1, 2022 at 11:29 am by Father Pablo Migone

Vanity of Vanities and Bigger Barns 2022-08-01T11:29:06-05:00 Father Pablo Migone

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

In the summertime when I go to my sister’s house, my nephews and niece love to blow bubbles outdoors. The little one especially, she gets so excited to see them. They run after them to pop them, and they love the really big ones. There is so much excitement for something as simple as a bubble which is made of water and soap; so much excitement for something that lasts for just a few seconds.

“Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, vanity of vanities! All things are vanity!” These are the words of an old, wise man, who in his old age, has learned a valuable lesson. He has learned that after much work and toil, his life will come to an end, and he will not take any of his material possessions with him – all that he has worked for will be inherited by, he says, “another who has not labored over it.” Qoheleth has come to acknowledge that everything in this world is passing away. Everything is like a bubble; it doesn’t last forever.

A line of Psalm 90 has always caught my attention, it says, “life is like a flower that blooms in the morning and withers at night.” Life is quick – frail.

How do we respond to this reality? The fact we leave this world in the same way we arrived into it: naked and with absolutely nothing.

There is a family squabble going on in the Gospel passage today: a brother demands his part of the inheritance from his brother. Jesus responds, “take care to guard against all greed. For though one may be rich, one’s life does not consist of possessions.”

The value of my life does not depend on what I have, nor does it depend on what I achieve. My life has value because I have been created by God. Why do we sometimes chase after possessions, spending much precious time and energy, if ultimately, there are greater things?

So often we become overly preoccupied with what we wear or how we look. We fear that we will be judged by others: we worry about what car we drive, sometimes we may embellish the truth to impress others so they think more of us, be it family or at work, other times we end up spending money we do not have on things we do not need, simply because we want to impress others or to fill a need for “more.”

When it comes to the material world, the Gospel teaches us detachment: to enjoy the things of the world, but to realize that these will eventually leave us wanting for more because they ultimately do not satisfy. They do not quench our thirst for more and more. We can enjoy pleasure, power and money to the extent that we do not sin, but recognize that these will pass away. We use them, appreciate them, and then let them go, without building our identity or value based on them.

The man in the parable built barns that were bigger and bigger. Likewise, don’t we build bigger and bigger barns? Not just for our stuff, but also whenever we yearn for recognition, praise, and honor. We always want more. Greed is not just about money – it’s about wanting more of everything. We can get caught in an addictive pattern when we cling to the goods of the world, they are never enough!

“If only I achieve this, then I’ll be happy. If only I have that, then I’ll be happy.”

The barns get bigger and bigger, and we fill them up. The more we cling to the goods of the world, the more we become imprisoned to them because we want more.

“You fool!” God says to the man in the parable. Your life will end today. Will God ask what you kept in those barns? Or will he ask how you gave of yourself to others? How you loved and sacrificed for the sake of others? This is the paradox of our faith: we take with us only the things we give away.

Bishop Robert Barron proudly quotes Cardinal George of Chicago who said, “The only thing you take with you into the life to come, is what you’ve given away on earth.”

We will take with us the quality and quantity of the love we have given away. Not our barns.

Picture from Public Domain

Previous Post

July 26, 2022

What happens at Baptism? Death and Eternal Life

Next Post

August 4, 2022 Parents: Primary educators of the faith

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Article Catholic Lima Christmas Commentary History Homily Immigration martyrs Meditation Pope Reflection Saint Story Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 January 2010 June 2009 September 2008 August 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to 2 Peter, what do scoffers in the last days follow?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The traditions of men False prophets Their own evil desires The wisdom of the world