Vanity
ECCLESIASTES 1:2-11; PSALM 90; LUKE 9:7-9
In one of his homilies, Pope Francis described vanity like an onion that we must peel off layer by layer until we are free, he also described it like a soap bubble that looks so beautiful but eventually disappears, lastly he said vanity is like someone who puts on too much makeup and fears the rain will come and wash it away. If I want to paraphrase him I will say “vanity na like girl wey rub 10 layers of makeup for face, come dey fear say make rain no fall.”
Vanity of life is the product of all forms of ungodly practices. The statement “Vanity of vanities” in the first reading means the greatest vanity of all. Solomon discovered that even with all his riches and wisdom, there is absolutely nothing of this world that can bring a lasting satisfaction or contentment!
In the gospel, Herod became very anxious when he couldn’t decipher if John was back to life or a new messenger. His anxiety expressed the vanity of his actions. Beloved, life without Christ is crisis and all will end in vanity if we do not submit ourselves to God in whom we find the true meaning of life.
Vanity is the cause of spiritual declension, and the reason why the progress of Christianity is slow. Today, many are bending at the shrine of pleasure. We must wake up! Do not trade eternal relevance for temporary pleasure. What is the profit of gaining the world and losing the soul? Our lives find true meaning only when we submit ourselves to God.
Lord have mercy!
LET US PRAY
May the Lord give us grace to overcome the things which are seen (vanities), and hold on to the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal (II Cor. 4:18). For then our portion shall be the glory that transcends all the vanities of this present time.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
